Cranes
by Catchandelier
Summary: Somebody died when they weren't supposed to, and the world went slightly sideways as a result... OR "So much can be changed with the proper application of time- or a sharp knife, I forget which." A story about growing up, second chances, families, love, and the general strangeness of the world in which we -they- live. What, I'm serious!
1. Prologue

**I like AU's… I've been writing this for the AnonMeme, but… I feel that you deserve something from me that is amazing. This is what I have.**

CRANESCRANESCRANES

"I've never liked vigilante groups," Scarecrow mused aloud.

"Oh?" murmured Aqualad, interested despite himself.

"Like?" scoffed Red Arrow.

"Oh, you know: The KKK, The Black Panthers, The NRA, The IRS… I think they're all jackasses, to be honest." Scarecrow's voice is so soft, so ineffably calm; it takes nearly a minute for his words to fully translate for both Aqualad and Red Arrow.

"…You enjoy pissing people off, don't you?" Aqualad mutters incredulously, just loud enough to be heard in the hallway.

"It's a hobby of mine I do enjoy, yes." admits Scarecrow, smiling a serene, invisible, and altogether too large, smile.

Red Arrow laughs silently, grin stretching his face wide.

CRANESCRANESCRANES

**More to come.**


	2. Chapter 1

This is how this story starts:

_(Wake up, Jonathan Nathaniel Pennyworth Crane. S' time to start over.)_

_**Wake**__**up**_**. Wake up, Johnny-boy. Put your feet on the ground. We need to leave, **_**right**__**now**_**.**

'What time's'it, then?'

_It is three in the morning._

**You have 'bout fifteen minutes to do this, so make it fast. Reach under our brick-like pillow-thing and grab the togs you made out of that reject pile of shirts that no one wanted. Hasn't that always been your life Johnny-boy? **

'Now's not the time for insults, 'Crow.'

**Sorry. But hurry it the fuck up, Johnny-boy, we have to **_**go**_**. **

_I agree. The standard of living here is sub-par, at best, and not at all conducive for growing into a healthy, somewhat well-adjusted young man. Therefore, it is only in our best interest to remove ourselves from the vicinity with all due haste._

**What the geek said.**

'Both of you be quiet. I'm at the window now, Scarecrow, so d'you want take over here?'

**Thought you'd never ask, Johnny-boy. Let's get the fuck outta here.**


	3. Chapter 2

_This is why this story starts:_

Jonathan Nathaniel Crane Pennyworth was twelve years old when his mind first began to snap apart. He had (has, will have) black hair, blue eyes, and a three way split personality. (And you thought you had problems.) His mother, who never wanted a child to begin with, left him with her mother, his grandmother. This was her second worst idea concerning her son. The worst was not providing a suitable guardian for her son in the (likely) event of her mother's death. When he was eight, his maternal grandmother died of sheer meanness. (His great-uncle (on his grandfather's side), one Alfred Thaddeus Crane Pennyworth, would have been happy to take the boy in, but he didn't know about young Johnny…)

When his grandmother died, Jonathan Nathaniel Crane Pennyworth was sent to the London City Orphanage, where, in another place and time, he was bullied mercilessly by his peers, and threw himself with wild abandon into a life of villainy and crime. He would have been Dr. Jonathan Crane; The Scarecrow, the master of Fear. In this world, that would not happen. It could not happen. At least, not exactly like that…

Dr. Jonathan Crane had died. He wasn't supposed to; he was supposed to become a hilariously old man, and die surrounded by his… children (let's call them children). But, he died: his soul flopped out of his body, squelched onto the ethereal plane. Yeah.

When his soul severed itself from his broken body, the strain of a dismal life filled with failures snapped the thin bonds between Jonathan Crane, Dr. Crane, and Scarecrow. However, since all three souls are, technically speaking, the same soul, a filing conundrum was created.

The soul of Jonathan Nathaniel Crane Pennyworth was, well, a bit grimy, to be honest. Small, and kind of broken, but still good. The soul of Dr. Crane was also a bit grimy, but that's to be expected from a doctor. Doctors have to do grimy things in the name of service to others. Scarecrow on the other hand… Scarecrow wasn't all the way bad, but he certainly wasn't a good soul. There is a cruelty inside the Scarecrow, a certain lack of empathy that shows inside his yellow eyes.

However, all this is moot. They're the same person. They have to be treated as the same person. Which leads to the conundrum of existential filing: Jonathan Nathaniel Crane Pennyworth required another chance to make good on his potential; Scarecrow needed to get himself a little helping of whoop-ass; Dr. Crane needed some empathy. Thus, the deal:

"_Become what you always coulda been. The world always needs some kinda hero, Johnny-boy; so you're gonna be a hero. The thing about heroes is, is they don't kill. So if you take this deal, and kill another in cold blood, you'll die. Refuse this deal, and you'll be torn asunder, shattered into your component pieces and flung from yourself, never to return as you are now. So, that's essentially dying, then. You will die, forever, and be remade into someone, something, entirely different. Make your choice, guv." _

"I- Where will I go?"

"_Choose, and find out."_

"Who will I be?"

"_You'll be who you've always been, only this time 'round you'll strive to better yourself."_

"Will it hurt?"

"_Sometimes it'll hurt very badly, but not this part. You'll wake 's'if from a dream, and soon forget the life you've had."_

"If I kill someone-"

"_If you kill someone and meant it, feel no remorse, the deal is null and void. We understand little mistakes happen, after all."_

"Will I remember… this?"

"_You'll remember the deal, your name, a few little things from the past. No more than you need to."_

"Will I die?"

"_Everyone dies, Johnny-boy. But an argument could be made that you were already dead to begin with. Come with me if you want to live, and all that."_

"And them? Are they coming too?"

"_You can't leave yourself behind, Johnny-boy. Sorry."_

"I- Where will I go?"

"_Choose, and find out."_

He chose.

_He chose. _

_He found out._

_And he forgot._

(_And the world took a step sideways._)


	4. Chapter 3

Jonathan Nathaniel Crane Pennyworth is twelve years old. He is near five feet tall, and is only going to get taller. When he is angry, he speaks with a very thick cockney accent. He is in Year Seven of his mandatory education, which in America means he's a sixth-grader. He has black hair, blue eyes, and a three way split personality. (And you thought you had problems.) His mother, who never wanted a child to begin with, left him with her mother, his grandmother. His grandmother hated him because he was illegitimate, and was merciless in her hatred. (His great-uncle (on his grandfather's side), one Alfred Thaddeus Crane Pennyworth, would have been happy to take the boy in.) When he was eight, his maternal grandmother died of sheer meanness.

When his grandmother died, Jonathan Crane was sent to the London City Orphanage, where, in another place and time, he was bullied mercilessly by his peers, and threw himself with wild abandon into a life of villainy and crime. He would have been Dr. Jonathan Crane; The Scarecrow, the master of Fear. In this world, that would not happen. It could not happen, because when he was ten, Jonathan Nathaniel Crane Pennyworth, who goes by Johnny Crane, jimmied the fourth floor window open, and clambered down the drain pipe. When his feet touched the ground outside, the quiet crunch of sticks did not wake up Daisy, the matrons Jack-Russell terrier, who did not wake up her mistress. In another world, Daisy woke her mistress. Bad things happened to Johnny as a result. Not in this world, though.

Johnny had been preparing his escape for weeks. He had nicked a pair of wire cutters, and a greying beach towel. _We shouldn't steal…_ **We'll mail them back. **He had hidden them in a bush near the cyclone fence that separated the orphans from the rest of the world's scrutiny. Johnny C. hadn't gotten this far, in a different world. In another world (but not the alternate of this world), Johnny C.'s grandmother had lived until he was sixteen.

Scarecrow had nixed the idea of simply climbing the fence as **Too noisy, innit?** and Doc was insistent that they leave ASAP. Thus, the Plan: Camouflage self with beach towel, cut hole in fence, escape, ?... PROFIT!

It wasn't the best plan, but for him, it would have to do.

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Johnny would eventually get booked by the police after he loitered for a few days too many near the public library across the city. He (that is to say, Johnny and Doc outvoted Scarecrow,) would give the cops his real name, his full name. His full name, in turn, would be registered into the system, and a few flags would fly. And one Alfred Thaddeus Crane Pennyworth would get a call from an old friend about his great-nephew, "-and could you please come get him?"

"Certainly, when would be best?" Alfreds voice is smooth, cultured. It does not betray his shock- _He has a great nephew who was homeless for a YEAR and NO ONE TOLD HIM ONE BLOODY- Ahem, keep it together laddy-buck…_

"Yesterday would have been perfect, but tomorrow will have to do." The voice on the other end is not _quite_ frantic, but a clear edge of hysteria is coming through.

At supper that night, Alfred tells his employer, one Bruce Wayne, that "-A personal matter has come to my attention. I must go to London to remedy the problem. I apologize for the inconvenience." His voice is, as always, unflinchingly calm. Of course, the tone of that voice is the kind of tone that has EXTREME PANIC writ large over it, but that is a digression…


	5. Chapter 4

This part of the story is about how Alfred T. C. Pennyworth and Jonathan N. C. Pennyworth are related:

Alfred married Johnny's grandmother (Clara)'s sister, Margot, but never had any children with her. When the Great War happened, Alfred joined the RAF, and flew planes for England. He was never allowed to tell his wife about what he did in the war, exactly. After all, spy-planes weren't flying then… Right?

Right. And the Queen of England is the monarch of Britain.


	6. Chapter 5

The plane ride was almost delayed when Johnny didn't have a passport, nor the proper visas for admittance to America. Alfred took care of it with a few phone calls. They flew second class; twelve hours spent in mostly silence, with the occasional awkward, hesitating, conversation thrown in. Johnny had the beach towel he had stolen from the orphanage (still), and a few little things that the police had given him, packed into an extremely cheap, extremely ugly, sack backpack. Alfred had nothing except his wallet, keys, and phone. They landed at JFK in Southport; rode the number seven train into Gotham; took the limousine to the Wayne estate. Johnny sat next to his great uncle, in the front of the car, his bag at his feet. Neither male spoke.

It was… Awkward. To overuse the word, anyway.


	7. Chapter 6

This part of the story is about Wayne Manor and parts of why Gotham is the way it is:

Wayne Manor is an old building. It was built just after Gotham was founded, and approximately twenty miles away from Arkham Manor. Gotham was built in a swamp, by a madman. Although… that explanation for Gotham is a little too simple for this story.

The natives of the far-North Eastern part of North America, who were mostly killed by mumps in 1765, had a name for the land that would one day be Gotham City: Chick'a gami, meaning 'Muddy Waters', which was a pseudonym for "That place where the demons live". Archibald Jensen Arkham, aged twenty-eight, was a failed entrepreneur, lord, and all around wastrel. He brought his wife and children over from Europe, and bought the land called Chick'a gami for approximately three dollars and fifty cents in 1764. The same amount of money today wouldn't buy a decent lunch in Gotham.

He ignored the local's dire warnings about the land he had bought, that it was cursed; ignored the legend about the land, that a demon had been trapped there, long ago; ignored the way the land seemed to ooze under his feet, the sky seemed to look at him with baleful malevolence; ignored the number of times the foundations of the house sunk into the swamp; ignored the fact that it was almost impossible to build on undrained swampland, and the fact that he did not have the knowledge to do so; ignored the extremely bad luck that coated the construction of the house, the sicknesses that plagued 581 2234 the workers, the strange madnesses that came upon them all... The house would take forty years to build. Archibald died during the eighth year of construction, when he accidentally-on-purposefully slit his own throat with a pearl-handled straight razor. Both razor and house would change hands within the family many times, and both would finally come to rest in the hands of Amadeus Arkham.

The original name of Arkham Asylum was Arkham Hospital. The house's dark history as a mental facility began in the early 1900s when the last living Arkham's mother, Elizabeth, who had suffered from mental illness for most of her life, committed suicide. It was later discovered that her son euthanized her, and repressed the memory of doing so. Dr. Amadeus Arkham, the last living Arkham, then decided that as the sole heir to the Arkham estate, he would remodel his family home in order to properly treat the mentally ill, so others might not suffer as his mother had. Prior to the period of the hospital's remodeling, Dr. Arkham had treated patients at the State Psychiatric Hospital in Metropolis, where he, his wife Constance, and their daughter, Harriet, had been living for quite some time prior to his mother's death.

Upon telling his family of his plans, they moved back to his family home to oversee the remodeling. While there, Arkham received a call from the police notifying him that serial killer Martin "Mad Dog" Hawkins — referred to Dr. Arkham by Metropolis Penitentiary while at Kansas State Psychiatric Hospital — had escaped from prison, and sought Dr. Arkham's considered opinion on the murderer's state of mind. Shortly afterward, Arkham returned to his home to find his front door wide open. Inside, he discovered the raped, mutilated, and dead bodies of his daughter and wife in an upstairs room, with Hawkins' nickname carved on Harriet's limp, dirtied body.

The shock of the murders brought back the repressed memory of killing his mother. For many years Elizabeth had suffered from delusions where she was being tormented by a supernatural creature, and would call for her son to protect her from them. He was skeptical of the veracity of her visions, but, one day he finally saw what his mother had been seeing - the great bat, a specter of death. Taking the pearl-handled straight razor from his pocket, which had proven to be an accursed family heirloom, he cut his mother's throat to end her suffering. He then blocked out the memory, and attributed her death to suicide.

Horribly re-traumatized, Amadeus put on his mother's wedding dress and took out the pearl-handled razor he had carried every day since the day he had killed her. He knelt in the blood of his family, and he vowed to bind the evil spirit of "The Bat", which he believed inhabited the house, through ritual and sorcery. "Mad Dog" Hawkins was captured, and admitted to Arkham Hospital. Amadeus "treated" Hawkins for months until he finally fatally electrocuted him in a shock therapy session. This incident was treated as an accident by the authorities, but soon after this event, Arkham spiraled down into madness.

He continued his mission even after he was incarcerated in the re-named Asylum; he scratched the words of the binding spells and cantrips into the walls and floor of his cell with his fingernails, and painted them on with his blood, until the day he died. With his death, the rituals he had been performing would bind the curse of the Arkham family to the Asylum. This curse would eventually drive all who entered into the asylum, for any reason (please excuse the pun), batshit-insane.

In another world, in another time, Jonathan Crane would intern, work, go crazy, and die in Arkham Asylum.

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Wayne manor was built on a low incline, approximately twenty miles away from the accursed Arkham site. It sat above massive limestone caverns, which sit over massive-er ancient lava flows. The place is cool beans.

Wayne Manor began as the simple home of railroad financier Jerome K. Van Derm in 1855. Soon after, Van Derm had to sell the property to the Wayne brothers, Solomon and Zebediah, in 1858. Solomon, a judge, worked hard to preserve equality in Gotham, saying that the city should be a "fortress against vice and iniquity". Solomon expanded Wayne Manor to its current size, acting as the first Wayne to turn it into a manor. Both brothers emigrated from Europe.

The manor house was the dwelling of a feudal lord of a manor, which he occupied only on occasional visits if he held many manors. As such it was the place in which sessions of his manor court were held. Sometimes a steward or seneschal was appointed by the lord to oversee and manage his different manorial properties. The day-to-day administration was delegated to an official, who in England was called a bailiff, or reeve. In the present time, Alfred holds both of these roles, but in the past, his paternal ancestors served the Wayne family. The Wayne family started in Russia, and members would immigrate to Romania, and then England throughout the years.

Kievan Rus', the first united East Slavic state, was founded by Oleg of Novgorod in 882. The state adopted Christianity from the Byzantine Empire in 988, beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that would define Russian culture for the next millennium. Kievan Rus' ultimately disintegrated as a state because of the Mongol invasion of Rus' in 1237–1240. This was when the Waynes first came into being.

During that time a number of regional magnates, in particular Novgorod and Pskov, fought to inherit the cultural and political legacy of Kievan Rus'. After the 13th century, Moscow came to dominate the former cultural center. By the 18th century, the Grand Duchy of Moscow had become the huge Russian Empire, stretching from the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth eastward to the Pacific Ocean. During this time, the Waynes made a name for themselves, as champions of Justice, Law, and Order. Expansion in the western direction sharpened Russia's awareness of its separation from much of the rest of Europe and shattered the isolation in which the initial stages of expansion had occurred.

Successive regimes of the 19th century responded to such pressures with a combination of halfhearted reform and repression. During this time, the weaker branches of the Wayne family were subtly encouraged towards warmer, more enlightened climes. Russian serfdom was abolished in 1861, but its abolition was achieved on terms unfavorable to the peasants and served to increase revolutionary pressures. Between the abolition of serfdom and the beginning of World War I in 1914, the Stolypin reforms, the constitution of 1906, and State Duma introduced notable changes to the economy and politics of Russia; however, the tsars were not willing to relinquish autocratic rule, or share their power.

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Although not typically built with strong fortifications as castles were, many manor-houses were partly fortified: they were enclosed within walls or ditches that often included the supporting farm buildings as well. Arranged for defense against robbers and thieves, it was often surrounded by a moat with a drawbridge, and equipped with small gatehouses and watchtowers; but was not provided with a keep or with large towers or lofty curtain walls to withstand a siege. The primary feature of the manor-house was its great hall, to which subsidiary apartments were added as the lessening of feudal warfare permitted more peaceful domestic life.

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Zebediah explored, charted, mapped, and finished the many limestone caverns beneath the manor, and excavated a set of tunnels into Gotham proper, and around the city. Both would later use the manor as part of the Underground Railroad, sheltering escaped slaves who fled north to Canada. According to Gotham records, there have been six generations of Waynes in the manor. Also according to the Gotham records, Wayne manor has burned to the ground four times. What is not on record is the way those manors burned; "illicit activities" and all that jazz.

Incidentally, Alfred has a small (studio apartment sized) room behind the butler's pantry. Johnny will also have a small room (apartment), which was originally the maid's quarters.


	8. Chapter 7

This part of the story is about how Alfred, Bruce, Johnny and Dick came to live with each other:

The limousine drove through the city, then out the other side, up into the Gotham hills. The car drove past a massive, slightly ostentatious manor, turned a curve, and drove up the back road to the house. The limousine was carefully parked in the carport/garage behind the house, and both males exited. Alfred gestured at Johnny, to "follow me."

Johnny followed Alfred, long legs crunching through thick frost. It is December, but Johnny is only wearing a windbreaker. He is clean-ish; his eyes are clear, his skin has enough elasticity to not seem old, and his hair looks like a black, sooty haystack. His glasses are held together with tape, and hope. His shoes are sandals, because he has size sixteen feet.

He is thin, the kind of too thin that can only happen through the lack of food, for long, long weeks. He is gaunt, cadaver-like, walks with a certain stoop to his shoulders. He also has openness in his face, openness that Jonathan Crane never would have had. This Johnny Crane dares to hope.

The males walked up a slow incline, scraped their feet on the mat in front of the service entrance. Alfred reached into his coat pocket, pulled out his keys, picked out the key to the service door. The key went into the lock, gently scraping, twisting, unlocking. Heat from inside the house wafted out around them.

Alfred and Johnny stepped into the mud room, and the three boys- Johnny, Scarecrow, and Doc- smelled the house. Scarecrow carefully picked out and identified the smells. Doc identified what each smell meant, and quickly relayed the information to Johnny. Johnny would decide what to do with the information.

**Flour, butter, eggs, bacon, meat, blood, soaps, sour milk, soot, Gas- from an oven, a big oven, carpets, dusty, empty space- too much empty space, expensive perfumes, colognes, dirty laundry, different kinds of hair gel with masculine scents, hair wax, silver polish, Tung oil, sawdust, water that's underground, bat guano, ammonia, medicines, sterilization, strong solvents.**

_This is a big house, but almost no one lives here. There are two, or possibly three, people that live here. They are all men. Women sometimes come here, but they don't stay. One of the men knows how to cook well enough, but one of the others cannot cook at all. Some of the people who live here are very wealthy, and don't mind showing it. There are old antiques here that are kept in very good repair. There is a massive cave system beneath the house; bats live in the caves. They have to clean a lot._

'Bruce Wayne and Great-uncle Alfred live here. They're hiding something, but now I live here too. I just hope that-'

"This way, Johnny. Your room is over here." Alfred interrupts Johnny's train of thought, his voice hushed in the soft mid-afternoon light. It is mid-winter, so the sun sets around five in the afternoon. Johnny is approximately two hours ahead of the time in Gotham, and is a little more tired than he should be, jet lag being what it is. That soft winter light falls gently into the former maid's quarters, illuminating a rather bare room. Well, I should say, bare of any personal touches; the room obviously hadn't been re-furnished since 1906, when the maid was still in residence.

The walls were a soft, neutral shade of pink, inasmuch as a shade of pink can truly be called neutral. The curtains are fine, thin lace, flowers picked out in dark rose on the valance, the fabric gently draping to about three inches above the baseboard. There are shelves of some dark wood, on the same wall that the door opens onto.

Johnny steps into the room, the light from the slowly setting sun catching on a previously hidden tiffany-style lamp, sitting on a low table next to the bed; it's purple, green, and pink glass gleaming in the soft light. The bed is a twin, and almost six feet long. Johnny looks at his great-uncle, asking him with his eyes "May I? Is this-?"

"We can certainly change anything you don't like in here, but I think that this room will suit you, Johnny. Do you like it?"

Johnny has walked into the center of the room, his face curiously blank. He had set his bag at the foot of his bed, toed off his sandals at the doorway of his room. At his great-uncles words, he turned, and practically flew into the older man, his long, boney arms wrapping around the older man. Johnny presses his face into Alfred, overcome with emotion. To his credit, Alfred only hesitates a moment before hugging his great-nephew back.


	9. Chapter 8

This part of the story is about Haley's Circus, and how Dick came to be the ward of Bruce:

C.C. Haly and Norton Bros. Circus, more commonly known as Haly's Circus, is a small travelling Circus that tours throughout the United States. Haly's main show under the big top includes various acrobats, clowns, trained animals, trapeze acts, tightrope walkers, jugglers, and other stunt-oriented artists. Haly's also has a rather extensive midway where various amusement rides, food vendors, merchandise vendors, games of chance and skill, as well as a place where sideshow curiosities can be found. Johnny had been living with his great-uncle for two years, and when the circus came into town, Johnny found himself asking Alfred to take him.

Mr. Wayne was informed of their plans, and decided, as he sometimes did, that he needed to "be Seen in the light of day." So, they went together, as... Well, not a group, as Mr. Wayne took, not one, but two women with him as dates, and not-so-subtly informed the Mr. s' Pennyworth that they need not attend him. But. They went.

Johnny ambled through the circus; in the two years he had been living with his great-uncle and part-time employer, he had grown upwards like a jungle-plant in the sun, but not out of his crippling shyness; as he walked, people would sometimes stop him and ask if he was a part of the circus. Johnny would always say "I-I-I'm sor-r-rry, but n-n-n-no, I'm n-n-n-n-not." He played some games on the midway, looked at the sideshow- had himself a grand time. Then the barkers started barking the circus goers into the big tent, "-The show's about to start!" Johnny found his great-uncle, and they walked into the big tent, showed their tickets, took their seats.

Haly's was perhaps best known for being the former home of The Flying Graysons, an acrobatic troupe of performers consisting of Jonathan, Mary, and Richard "Dick" Grayson, their son. The troupe was most famous for performing without a net, making their acrobatic act more dangerous. Jonathan and Mary were famous for performing a series of triple flips in succession; Dick was the only one in the western hemisphere that could do a series of quadruple flips. The family was the star attraction of the circus, and was considered one of the finest examples of acrobatics living, sane, and not a cheerleader.

However, Anthony "Fats" Zucco, a low-level thug, and Edward Skeevers, a minor mob family head would both attempt to take over Haley's Circus in order to use the circus's trucks for drug trafficking. These two men would change the Grayson's lives forever. To show the circus owner his seriousness, Zucco's crew sabotages the star attractions' ropes. When they went to perform, John and Mary Grayson died, leaving their son an orphan. (Johnny was there; he saw the two performers fall, saw their son rush out from behind the clowns- **Clowns only come out like that when something's gone wrong, Johnny, Doc, right? **- _They just… fell. How-_ 'Something stinks at the circus, and it isn't elephant shite.'

The three four boys- Johnny, Scarecrow, Doc, and Dick- saw John and Mary fall. Scarecrow smelt the dust of the ring, heard how it puffed up, saw it flutter down onto sequins and spandex. Doc saw their faces, saw the shock, saw that there was no time for fear, no time to worry- just down. Johnny is the one who notices how Mr. Wayne is reacting to this- notices him noticing the newly orphaned Dick Grayson. They see the disbelief turn to anguish- see the tears begin to fall. None of the trio noticed how the deaths were affecting them.

Tears are running down their face, water dripping down a blank mask. They will lie in their bed later, shut off the lights, close the door. They will scream, and rant, and cry into their pillow- but that would be later. "Johnny, are you-?" It is Alfred, their stalwart uncle, trying to comfort them.

"I-I'm fine, Uncle A. I's just… I- they-" Johnny's voice is wobbly, horrified, disbelieving.

Johnny (the boys), for all his (their) reserve, is still instinctively empathetic; they can sympathize with what they see in Dick's face. He is still crying when his uncle wraps an arm around him, still crying when they go to get the limousine, still crying when Mr. Wayne and the young Mr. Grayson get in the car; he cries all the way home. It is not the kind of crying that makes the face, the body, the soul hot and oozy; it's the kind of crying that looks, at first glance, completely fake. Just tears running down a blank face, a few tiny puckers and folds in the cheeks, a miniscule quirk of the eyebrow.

He cries. (He would cry in that same way when his Great-Uncle Alfred died. (It's actually a familial trait- genetic, almost.))


	10. Chapter 9

They end up taking Dick home with them, ignoring a Mr. Skeevers' increasingly impassioned pleas for them to "leave the boy with him, they're relatives yanno?" No, Mr. Skeevers', they didn't know. More importantly, they didn't care. Skeevers would eventually be arrested by the IRS for tax fraud, leaving his daughter, Maureen Conner, with social services. Zucco would not be arrested.

Johnny had figured out just who he lived with, just who Batman is when he isn't Batman (although, to be fair, Batman is always Batman) after a few weeks. He had kept his peace; he didn't want to rock the boat, and be tipped out and away. He quietly began training; he would have the occasional half-remembered dream about "violent dancing", dreamt of potions and powders that would drive men mad, dreamt-remembered how _good_ he was could be with a slung-shot,- He wants those skills, either way. His great-uncle sees what he's doing, and subtly steers him towards teachers; gives him a foundation to build on.

Bruce… Bruce starts teaching him detective work. It's one of the things Jonathan Crane never really knew. Johnny is more than happy to learn the skill, even informally. Johnny also takes care to never really point out the giant pink elephant in the room. But, when Dick finds out the secret- That Bruce Wayne, his guardian, is also Batman, the Caped Crusader- and asks Bruce to teach him, train him, take him on as a sidekick partner, Johnny asks nearly the same thing.

Johnny knows enough to know, -or is it remember?- that it would be improper to ask his part time employer to train him as a protégé. Then again, Johnny didn't really ask anyone's permission to become a superhero; he didn't ask his great-uncle exactly, he sort of- well, it went like this:

"Uncle Alfred?" Johnny's voice is quiet in the kitchen, almost hesitant. In the months he had been living with his great-uncle, he had mostly left behind his fears; mostly left behind his shyness. He still stutters horribly.

"Yes Johnny? What is it?" Alfred's voice is just as quiet, but not any real emotion.

"I was wondering- N-not that I have to, o-or anything, b-but would you be t-t-terribly o-opposed to me…" He paused here, as if searching for a way to word it without giving anything important away.

"Would y-you mind t-t-t-t-terribly if I-I-I became a s-superhero?" His voice sounds so hopeful, so solemn-

"Not at all, Johnny. Not at all." Alfred says these words without the slightest hesitation, as if he was merely telling Johnny what to add to a recipe to make it better. Johnny, who had only just turned thirteen, put down his dishes, walked over to his great-uncle, and gave him a hug.

That was how Johnny decided to become a hero. He would have done it, even without the permission of his great-uncle, but- he still wanted to ask, anyway.

In the end, Bruce Wayne adopted young Dick Grayson as his ward, and eventually took him on as his sidekick, Robin. They would succeed in revealing Zucco's complicity in the murders of John and Mary Grayson, but he supposedly died of a heart attack before his arrest.

Skeevers was paroled in 2004, and killed by Permafrost during the Columbus Day Massacre. Although "Massacre" is a bit of a misnomer; Permafrost was under the effects of mind control when she flash froze thirty people, including Skeevers, her father. It is unclear whether or not Permafrost meant to kill Skeevers. Incidentally, Maureen Conner has a rather spectacular crush on Jonathan Nathaniel Crane Pennyworth.

(Johnny fancies Maureen right back, but them both being shrinking violets, Dick would be thirteen before they started openly flirting with each other in civilian settings, which is a very intimate thing for those two specific people to do.)


	11. Chapter 10

This part of the story is about Scarecrow, Permafrost, and how they both became heroes:

Scarecrow, while he lived in Gotham (before he went to college), patrolled the Narrows. Robin stayed with Batman, and helped him fight the good fight; Robin had to stay with Batman, seeing as Robin is Batman's partner. Scarecrow does not have the same relationship with Batman- Scarecrow is an _associate_ of Batman's. Thus, Scarecrow will get advice from Batman, the occasional training from Batman; the only person Scarecrow answers to is Scarecrow. And anyway, the Narrows are just a _little_ too dangerous for Robin, or Batman, to be out in every night. All three boys resolutely ignore how the Narrows are a little too dangerous for them to be out in every night, too.

The Narrows is an island in the middle of the Gotham River, situated between Midtown and Downtown Gotham City. It is home to the decaying and dilapidated neighborhood in which Arkham Asylum is located; the island carries the Arkham curse. The Narrows was the original village of Gotham, and is one of the few places in the city that the tunnels dug by Zebediah do not go- swampy land like that, especially accursed swampy land, does not allow tunnels to be dug underneath it. Batman generally cannot spend all his nights in the Narrows; Gotham is too big, too dangerous a city for that. Scarecrow, on the other hand, is too young, too green to unleash on all Gotham proper, and while the Narrows is a tough neighborhood, Scarecrow, Johnny and Doc are tough too. Or so they like to proclaim.

(This is a short note about the Arkham curse:

The curse is bound to the old Arkham estate, and all its holdings, which means the entire Narrows. The curse will drive anyone who sets foot on the Arkham lands absolutely insane, but Jonathan Nathaniel Crane Pennyworth is already insane. You can't have three distinct people in one body without going a little crazy; think annoying roommates up to eleven.)

It was late January, and Scarecrow had been out patrolling. Because of his hero duties, Scarecrow is a little late checking in with Batman. Suddenly, he is attacked- trapped beneath a thick layer of prismatic ice; it's a rainbow of unnatural blues. Just after he melts through it with one of his chemical heaters, he is attacked by a homeless girl that bombards him with giant spikes of ice. He struggles to ward off the attacks, but ultimately drives her away with a well-timed flashbomb.

(Doc had spent months playing around with chemical formulas. Some worked, some didn't; some were for heat, some were for explosives, some were for sedatives or poisons or- well, he tried really hard not to hurt themselves with any of them. He did anyway, but it's the thought that counts. He also put antidotes into tiny, antique perfume bottles that Scarecrow liked to collect. (Each of the boys had their own, singular hobby- Johnny likes to read period romance novels; Doc watches (cusses out) C-Span; Scarecrow collects and sometimes refinishes antiques; Dick likes to troll people on the internet (and is getting Alfred to teach him how to cook). To each their own, and all that.))

A few days later, Scarecrow is out patrolling when he sees the girl again. He notices prismatic blue frost coating the street near him, and follows it; finds and watches as the same girl from before admires an ice sculpture of an angel. Something about the ice angel freaks her out, and she begins to trash the street with ice and snow. Scarecrow intervenes, and is nearly killed by a pillar of ice. He deters her from fighting him again, but in doing so becomes trapped under a thicker sheet of ice. In a nearby liquor store, the girl sees a younger girl, whose mother is clutching her protectively. This causes her to flash memories from her own past, and she breaks down in tears, leaving the scene. By the time Scarecrow frees himself, she is gone.

**Acursed is cursed with an A and an extra -ed**


	12. Chapter 11

For all of his skill with human emotion, Jonathan Crane had almost no understanding of how women work. It's understandable; Jonathan Crane was a man, and no man, no matter how smart, knows how a woman's mind works.

Johnny Crane is no better with women; he has a history of foot-in-mouth syndrome, especially with people he likes. Things are about to get… _messy_.

At a nearby parochial community center where Johnny, now seventeen, and Dick, now twelve*, volunteer to make up their community service hours (long story), Scarecrow and Robin are covertly investigating the Ice Girl. Doc had noticed that the girl appeared to be homeless- Johnny, Scarecrow, and Doc were out on the street for two years; they know a bag girl when they see one. Scarecrow decided to ask Reverend Anderson if he knew the Ice Girl, or a girl who looks like the Ice Girl.

In fact, the reverend does know a girl who matches the description; "Oh, you mean Maureen Conner. Yeah, she was taken by social services when her father, Edward Skeevers, got booked. She was taken to Gotham West orphanage, but left on her own soon after; she comes around every now and again, gets checked out at the clinic, has a few warm meals, takes or returns something from the charity clothes chest, and leaves again." The reverend's voice is tired; the reverend is one of the only ones the parish has. "Maureen's one of the few protectors of the many homeless children in the Narrows. I think she's a hero. Besides, Scarecrow, Batman, Robin; They can't be everywhere at once, yanno?"

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Together, they patrol the Narrows but after five hours of nothing but the normal Narrows crime, Scarecrow takes Robin back to the cave. Robin is not too young, too green, to stay out all night long on the hunt, but this is Scarecrow's case, and Doc doesn't like exposing Robin to the Narrows for longer than they absolutely have to. Scarecrow asked Batman for Robin's help; Johnny had noticed that the girl was markedly less violent around small children. Robin is small for his twelve years, especially considering his training, but acrobats are small. Besides, Johnny is going to go to college soon; they want to spend a little more time with the person they privately think of as little brother.


	13. Chapter 12

Johnny, Scarecrow and Doc can't just go off to college: they have responsibilities. But they can't not go to college; they have responsibilities. Thus, the dilemma- should they stay, and miss out on opportunities, or should they go, and leave their territory undefended? Then, like a miracle, like a gift of the angels- A girl with powers! A girl who protects the same place he does! Just one problem: She's kind of… well… Nuts.

Scarecrow eventually meets the Ice Girl formally a few weeks later, and manages to stop her long enough to say:

"**Hel~lo, pretty lady."** Scarecrow is the one who talks when they go out hero-ing. Johnny stutters, and Doc is sesquipedalianly loquacious. The girl can be forgiven for her… antagonistic reaction. She loses her composure, blasts him away with her powers, then flees, easily running on the still frozen streets. She buries Scarecrow in snow and ice (_I'm sensing a trend here. __**Yeah. Me too. **__'You know, it might be better if I tried to talk to her…'_) when he tries to follow her.

Eventually, they dig themselves out. Doc traces the girl's last movements to a building filled with homeless people, near the Midtown side of the Narrows. Scarecrow got close enough to smell the girl- **That's her natural scent? Roses, Rubbing Alcohol and Baby Powder? She smells-** _Like some rareified perfume. I wonder if __Hyacinthus orientalis albulus scent would please her… _He finds her room; it is a fairytale confection of a room, the kind of room a little girl would dream of when she heard the words "Princesses Bedroom".

There was a small single cot, not much longer than five feet, completely encased in ice: The bed had been changed to a French romantic style, its thin posts filigreed with frost. The walls were painted white; the single bare bulb in the room was surrounded by sharp, crinkled pieces of ice, throwing the feeble light in dazzling rainbows which danced across the walls. Tiny ice crystals flashed everywhere, set sparkling and glinting, crazed by the amber glow of Scarecrow's perfume-bottle light.

The only other thing in the room is a small **vintage vanity, old style**, with a few small makeup things, and a photograph with one side torn out of it. The remaining portion shows a little girl with her mom. The little girl bears a striking resemblance to the Ice girl. He looked through the drawers, but doesn't find anything else of interest, so Scarecrow took the picture. Johnny objects, strenuously, but is overruled by Scarecrow and Doc.

Scarecrow leaves with many questions still unanswered, but the next time they meet, it's her that seeks him out, demanding her picture back. She is irate, and screams at him "YOU STOLE HER! GIVE HER BAAAAACK!" Her voice is high, breaks at the edges. He dodges her attacks and leads her upwards, desperately seeking the least amount of collateral damage possible. When Scarecrow tries talking to her she only throws more ice shards at him. She only starts to calm down when Johnny tries to talk to her. (Which really isn't all that surprising, considering that Scarecrows entire shtick is to be as scary as physically and psychologically possible.)


	14. Chapter 13

"I just w-w-w-want to talk to you, i-i-i-i-if tha-a-a-at's alright? Here, take these- I'm sorry I took this without permission; have this too, as a gift from me." (He accidentally, or maybe not (who can tell?), gave her one of his bottles of all-purpose antidote. The stuff in that little angel will negate the effects of everything he has on him, including his "Scarecrow Special". It also smells like love, hope, and peace had a beautiful baby together, and the stuff in that little bottle is that baby.) She took both items, and pressed the scrap of photo to her chest.

"This is the only photo of my mother I have. Why did you take it?"

"I-(__) wanted to know more about you… I was going to look up your mother, a-and find out more about you… I'm sorry. I should never have invaded your privacy like that."

She smiled at him wanly, (_Maybe she doesn't hate me?_) finally introduced herself as Permafrost, and confessed to the boys that she has almost no idea how to be a superhero. Maureen and Johnny sit down on a high ledge, together, and just start talking. Johnny tells Permafrost about himself, about what he does as a superhero; tells her about his arrangement with Batman. In turn, she tells him about herself, and asks him some questions.

"So… You just work for Batman? Like… Does he pay you, or anything?" He voice is soft from all the screaming she had been doing. Her soft blue skin and fluffy white hair gently flutter in the night; moonlight catches on her frost covered cheeks, making them sparkle.

All three boys are working very hard not to lose the thread of conversation; they're failing miserably. They had been staring at her mouth, watching the delicate play of sparkles around her eyes, across her cheeks, down her throat- They had stopped making little listening sounds sometime earlier…

Permafrost quirks her brow a little, and looks at Scarecrow carefully. "Am I… Boring you, or something?" she sounded so _hurt_…

"N-no! N-not at all. I-i-it's just… You're so fuckin' beautiful, I want t-to go out wiv you and- I'm being fuckin' w-w-weird, sorry, sorry… N-never m-mind." All three boys have forgotten that they have commlinks; all three boys have forgotten that they left their commlinks on. Batman, Robin, and Alfred have been listening to the entire conversation. Johnny, Scarecrow, and Doc haven't _exactly_ told anyone what they're trying to do with Permafrost; Then again, it's Batman, Robin and Alfred: they know already.

In the end, Bruce manages to save the boys from making a complete ass of themselves.

"Johnny, do you want to invite this girl to dinner?" His voice is slightly amused; it's quite something, listening to his odd duck son try to get the girl.

"Yes sir, I do." His voice is clipped, professional.

"Do you think that she can handle the Narrows?" Batman is asking now, curious.

"No sir, I do not." Still clipped.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Something like the old arrangement, but tailored to fit, as it were."

"…That's doable." Batman- Bruce- both men agree to his not-request; both men agree to make Permafrost their associate; both men agree to informally train her, subtly teach her the ways of being a hero. (Both men agreed to a request from a beloved, but currently distant child.)

"Scarecrow, who are you talking to?" She is curious; she shyly asks the question, almost too quiet to hear.

"Batman." His voice is very matter of fact; his body is as close to _RELIVED_ as a body can get fully clothed.

CRANESCRANESCRANES

The boys hear a haunting, jittery cackle in their ears- Robin.

"So… Do I have an older sister now?" His voice isn't exactly mocking; his tone isn't exactly hopeful. Close, though.

Scarecrow sighs, then mutters under his breath, "Shut up, bird-boy wonder. Don't you have case-files to go over?"

Scarecrow gets a raspberry for his trouble.

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Alfred is the one who manages to ask the million dollar question, like the boss he is.

"Why her, Nephew?"

"Why not her, Uncle? She is a human being, just as I am. Just as anyone in the Narrows is. Any help or understanding must be given uniquely, specifically."

"And can she be trusted with the Narrows?"

"Robin is too young for the Narrows, and Batman is too busy. Neither of them have ever really been here, have the time to really be here. They both focus too much on what was, or will be. The Narrows demand ones full attention- They will kill, -_have_ _killed_- those who give anything less. I can't let that happen."

"You think she can handle it?"

"I don't think she can handle it. I _know_ she can."

Permafrost hears the sincerity in Scarecrow's voice, the depth of his emotions. She blushes. Scarecrow faints, and falls off the building. (He'll never live that down. Ever.)


	15. Chapter 14

This part of the story is about Roy, Kaldur, The Boys, Star City, Atlantis, and how Scarecrow, Speedy Red Arrow, and Aqualad became friends:

The boys went to college near Star City, which is on the western coast of America. Batman hadn't really said much about the local heroes; Johnny had surmised that Batman didn't exactly think repeatable things about the local heroes. Alfred was strangely evasive on the subject (something about a "Manhunter" being stupidly heroic; or was it heroically stupid?), and with Robin all into some guy from Central City he had met through a Mathletes competition, Doc had to do research on Star City himself.

According to several published accounts, Star City was incorporated as a city under its current name over 200 years ago, making it of comparable age to Gotham. Star City's location moved many times, like Metropolis, Gotham, Central, and other cities. The city sits on a coastal plain, allowing few skyscrapers to be constructed. Star City is in northern California, specifically near the coastal regions north of the San Andreas Fault.

The earliest map of the city was published in 1905, and has been modified and redrawn many times throughout the city's life. The layout of the city resembles the geography of metropolitan Gotham, subtly reversed. This is not surprising; one of the main city planners of Star City had a running rivalry with one of the city planners of Gotham.

The city of Platinum Flats, home of the world famous Birds of Prey cheerleading squad, is approximately half an hour away. It is more closely patterned on the north-eastern city of Blüdhaven, but, again, with a subtly reversed layout. The boys don't actually live in Star City; they live in Platinum Flats, in a remodeled textile mill with two roommates. All three of them go to the same college in Star City.

The boys take the E bus down to the Orchid Bay stop; walk four blocks north to the J train- watch the city go by.

Notable landmarks on their route include: The Star Bridge, a suspension bridge, and one of the city's primary visual landmarks. It's known for giant star sculptures atop each tower in the span of the bridge, and connects Star City's various regions. It is nicknamed the Milky Way, supposedly because of the high rates of milk trucks crashing and exploding on the bridge. (Or maybe because the walking bridge under the Star Bridge was the easiest place to solicit an illicit woman of negotiable pleasure.); The Star Grell Arts Museum, named after Mike Grell, who contributed greatly to Star City's cultural awareness in the 1980's. Nicknamed the Groaner, possibly because there hadn't been any good art in the Museum since 1994; and Star Papp Stadium, named after George Papp. Papp was one of the original co-creators of the current Star City policy regarding Superheroes, left over from the G.I. bills of the 1940s post-war America. No one called the Papp anything other than the Papp; it is said that the Papp carries the ghost of George Papp within its very concrete foundations, and punished those foolish enough to mock it.

It takes about fifteen minutes to get to Adam Heights, and then it's a short walk to Star City University campus. (The boys had noted the startling lack of creativity in the names of things in Star City. It was always, Star this, Star that, this Star that… Give him a good old-fashioned ambiguous building name any day. Something like "Wayne Incorporated Municipality Building," which was actually a shopping mall.)

The boys are walking towards their Chemistry class, and see one of their friends, and roommates, Roy Harper. "Hey, AngRoy, Wassup?"

"…Shut up, J.C." Roy says this with a poorly hidden smile. The two young men have been friends since freshman orientation; they met when they both had objections to their History 101 professor's statement, something about "the sudden degradation in the standards of living since the rise of the common super-hero; or should I say, super-zero."

Roy Harper started the argument with a bang.

"Sudden degradation in the standards of living? _Sudden _degradation? Sir, the standards of living had been degrading since long before the rise of the Superhero. If anything, the Superhero has helped to mitigate the decaying effects of societal upheaval. For example, during The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution, one of the first groups of superheroes was recorded. For those of you who don't know, the Cultural Revolution was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976. Set into motion by Mao Zedong, then Chairman of the Communist Party of China, the revolutions stated goal was to enforce socialism in the country by removing capitalist, traditional and cultural elements from Chinese society, and to impose Maoist orthodoxy within the Party. This was carried out by the Red Guard, youth groups who were often the most militant parts of Mao Zedong's personality cult. This era was also the first recorded instance of Ānjìng de túshū guan, literally The Quiet Librarians; a group of people who, for whatever reason, refused to follow the personality cult of Mao Zedong and destroy their cultural history.

The Quiet Librarians were one of the first recorded clandestine groups in the world dedicated specifically to preserving pre-Revolution, free-speech era information. Millions of people were persecuted in the violent factional struggles that ensued across the country, and suffered a wide range of abuses including torture, rape, imprisonment, sustained harassment, and seizure of property. A large segment of the population was forcibly, often fatally, displaced, most notably the transfer of urban youth to rural regions during the Down to the Countryside Movement. Many historical relics and artifacts were destroyed. Few cultural and religious sites were not ransacked.

The Quiet Librarians were originally dedicated towards the salvage and protection of cultural, religious, and capitalist influences; however, during the Down to the Countryside Movement, the Librarians were able to save over five-hundred thousand people from a fatal march. Millions of people died, sir, and over a million people continued to be transferred every year until 1978.

Mao officially declared the Cultural Revolution to have ended in 1969, but its active phase lasted until the death of the military leader Lin Biao in 1971. The political instability between 1971 and the arrest of the Gang of Four in 1976 is now also widely regarded as part of the Revolution. After Mao's death in 1976, reformers led by Deng Xiaoping gained prominence. Most of the Maoist reforms associated with the Cultural Revolution were abandoned by 1978. The Cultural Revolution has been treated officially as a negative phenomenon ever since.

The Quiet Librarians are now considered a myth."

Roy has steadily been growing more incensed, and more lyrical in his tone as he goes on. His words flow from his mouth like speedy red arrows from a bow; calculated to strike, to hit, to anger and enrage. He has also stood to his feet, crossed his arms.

Johnny had decided (and was backed up by Doc) to keep a low profile in school. No one needed more of a reason to look at him; Johnny Crane stands at just under seven feet tall. Scarecrow stands at just over seven feet tall; platformed boots are the best for that sort of thing. Doc sits at four feet high, and tries really hard not to stand up. Hearing this impassioned speech, their gameplan of going under the radar gets thrown out the proverbial window, crashes painfully onto the street below, and gets beaten up by the local indigent population.

The boys stand, and quietly, menacingly back him up with, "H-h-h-historically speaking, **sir,** the s-s-s-superhero has appeared in every r-r-recorded civilization on Earth. A colloquial Ur example w-would be Jesus of Nazareth, r-r-recorded to have healed the sick and the lame, calmed a stormy sea, w-w-walk on w-w-water, and to have risen from the d-d-dead. These are not the actions of an everyday hero; these moments were of such rarity and **fuckin'** specialness that they can easily be considered the actions of the supernatural; that is to say, the ''Superheroic'' actions of a s-s-s-single man. And, correct me if I'm wrong **sir**, but wasn't the first recorded Mayor to _**ever**_try to p-p-p-publicly lower the crime rate Thomas "Steelclaw" Bolt? Didn't he adopt an undercover persona as a costumed criminal as part of his efforts to bring l-l-l-local crime under control? Didn't he d-die in office from that attempt?"

They both get kicked out of class; Roy for "Violently disrupting a class", Johnny for "Threatening a teacher". That's how they became friends- In the campus jail. (Yeah. They're both rebels in their own, special ways.)

"Roy Harper."

"J-j-jonathan Nathaniel C-c-crane Pennyworth- but I g-go by Johnny Crane."

"… Any particular reason you decided to help me out back there?"

"…F-f-few will h-have the greatness to b-b-bend history itself; but each of us c-c-can work to change a small p-p-p-portion of events and in the total; of all those acts will be written the h-h-his-s-story of this g-g-generation. Robert Kennedy s-s-said that. And anyway, that t-t-teacher is a **fuckin' jackeen.**"

There is a lull in the conversation- for all their synergy, they are strangers to each other. _Nothing ventured… _**Indeed.**

"S-so… where d-do you live?"

Roy snorts. "I live with my idiot father, here in Adam Heights."

"S-so… do you l-like it, l-living in Adam H-heights?"

"… not anymore." Roy says this so quietly, so sadly…

"You n-n-know, I live in a r-remodeled textile mill in Platinum Flatts; i-i-it was built in the 1800's, s-so it's right by a river. I've been able to p-p-pay rent on the building, but having a roommate would make th-that easier."

That was how Johnny and Roy became roommates.


	16. Interlude 1

Interlude 1: The Talk

Johnny, Scarecrow and Doc were sitting quietly on the couch. Restated, the boys were sitting on the couch trying to listen to "The Talk" as given by their part-time employer/father figure, Bruce Wayne. Stated a third time, Doc had stopped gibbering in terror around thirty minutes ago; Scarecrow still hadn't stopped cussing. Johnny had long since moved past the fabled Embarrassment threshold, that place where a person ceases to be embarrassed by anything anymore. The boys had finally mostly stopped full body blushing- Now whenever Bruce would say something the boys considered _completely_ pervy, only patches of exposed skin would turn red, rather than all the way down to the nail beds. All three boys are total prudes- the night has been an impressive shade of red.

"So, after you've done that you'll want to try-" It's going to be a long night; Bruce is apparently only half-way through his prepared notes.

Later, in the safety of their own room (still pink, but not pervy in the slightest), the boys will find a pair of books: one entitled "Our Bodies, Our Selves; A book by Women, For Women" and the other entitled "My Body, Myself; a book for boys". The books are stacked on his sidetable-desk, with a note from his great-uncle Alfred: "_You might find these more useful, Johnny. It is important to know both sides of the situation."_

The boys will eventually share both of the books with their younger brother Dick when it is his turn to sit on the couch and be mortified by his fathers attempted explanations about the fairer sex. Dick would, in turn, share it with his younger siblings when it was their turn to be mortified by their father. The copy of "Our Bodies, Ourselves" turned out to be especially handy.

And no one told Bruce that his "the Talk" was horrific, a crime against god, humanity, and the teenage sex drive.

(Bruce would later thank Alfred for his help in teaching his impressionable children about the other sex; subtly dissuading teenage libidos is hard work in a house full of semi-sociopathic profiling superheroes.

"How do you stand being right all the time, Alfred?"

"At times the responsibility is simply exhausting_,_ sir.")


	17. Chapter 16

Atlantis, actually a series of inter-connected islands in all the world's oceans, was the center of early human civilization. In its early days, its first recorded king, Orin, ordered the construction of a protective dome over the city as a defence against barbarian tribes, but shortly after a meteor crashed into the earth and destroyed most of the upper world, the Atlantean empire, (and the continent of Atlantis) sank to the bottom of the ocean. King Orin the First's brother, Shalako, departed with a number of followers through underground tunnels in order to reclaim another sunken city of their empire, Tritonis, whose inhabitants had not survived.

After a few years of being confined to the city, Poseidonian scientists developed a serum that would permanently let their people breathe underwater; as a consequence of the magic used by Shalako in the settling of Tritonis, the Tritonians were further mutated to have fish-tails instead of legs. Some descendants of Shalako's son Dardanus also inherited his telepathy, which is marked by blonde hair, an extremely rare phenotypic expression among Atlanteans. Dardanus's son Kordax further had the ability to telepathically command sea creatures. In Atlantean society, this ability was considered a great taboo against nature. After he led sea creatures alongside the Tritonians in a failed-revolution against King Orin the First, he was exiled, and children born with blonde hair (the "mark of Kordax") were generally viewed as aberrations and abandoned to die soon after birth.

Soon after this civil war, the empire collapsed into many warring city states; the one Kaldur'ahm is from is the city-state of Shayeris. Shayeris shared a good trading relationship with Tritonis, even after the sinking. A set of visible gills is a trait not shared by most Atlanteans from Poseidonis due to the general animosity between Tritonians and Poseidonians. The trait is common among the residents of Shayeris, due to Tritonian intermarriage. It is almost unheard of in surface dwelling humans. No claims have been made about humans who live in caves.

Shayeris was a small farming village when Atlantis sank. In time, it would grow into a great city state known for its many golden haired people, and its vast farms. Farms, as a rule, require as many hands as possible to work them. As a result, the stigma against those bearing the mark of Kordax was almost nonexistent in Shayeris. During the Great Unification of Atlantis, Shayeris became reincorporated into the greater Kingdom of Atlantis.

(Interestingly, the gene for magical ability present in humans originated on the lost continent of Atlantis. The continent was a focal point for unharnessed magical energies, and the local Homo sapiens evolved into Homo sapiens magi as a result of their exposure to these energies. Upon the fall of Atlantis, people who carried the predisposition for magic were scattered to the four winds. Today, every human being capable of casting spells in any way is partially descended from the Atlantica homo magi who were outside the Atlantean empire when the continent sank.)


	18. Chapter 17

Johnny had stopped by Roy's father's mansion to help Roy move out. It was a long, involved process; Roy's blond billionaire father, Oliver Queen, was doing everything in his power to convince Roy that they could work out the conflict, "-Whatever it is, we can work it out, Sp-Roy!"

"…No. We can't. The fact that you won't acknowledge what's wrong here is proof that I need to leave."

"But Roy-"

"No. I'm leaving, and you can't stop me."

Wisely, the boys stayed out of it. The boys had also borrowed a cargo van from their flakey neighbor, Helena Bertinelli. (As it turns out, she's into roller-derby, and is an accountant by day. Somehow, the boys don't believe her. At all.)

The boys had also called ahead; they brought lots of boxes and bags, and another friend to help move stuff. That friend's name is Kaldur'ahm. They had met Kaldur'ahm at the co-op where they went grocery shopping. They had started a conversation (argument) about the merits of vitamin B12, and after running into each other all over town, they finally just exchanged names and numbers and called it a day.

It would take the addition of Kaldur as a roommate, and multiple structural problems in the textile mill, for the boys to trust Roy and Kaldur, and for Roy and Kaldur to trust (fall in love with) each other.

Scarecrow had been hunting a meth-dealer for days; the dealer's supplier had abducted the small child of their serf-chemist as collateral. The chemist had been making noise about getting out of the drug dealing business; he had been silenced by the loss of the child. Scarecrow had been contacted- His neighbor, Ms. Bertinelli, knew what had been happening, but couldn't help the man. She also sorta-kinda-don't-tell-batman knew about his double life. He knew about her double life too; Huntress wanted to know who had the child so she could… _take care_ of the problem.

The boys don't mind that at all. Batman taught them not to kill (They don't really want to kill anyone); but they cannot be responsible for the actions of others. Huntress knows just how good The Scarecrow's "Investigative" skills are; after all, when the Riddler kidnapped Robin, Scarecrow found the Riddler, and then found Robin.

(And when the Riddler got out of the hospital, he limped for the rest of his life. Legs should _never_ bend like that.)

Scarecrow is not a nice guy. Johnny is not a nice guy. Doc could be a nice guy, but mostly he's not. (The boys are _kind,_ not nice.)

CRANESCRANESCRANES

He had followed his lead to the docks. He heard the sounds of splashing water; the muffled sound of fists hitting flesh. He rounds the final corner of an alley, and finds Aqualad beating the tar out of a group of thugs, (and his lead!) inside a warehouse window. This is annoying; he needs that particular lead conscious to get the information he needs for Ms. Bertinelli.

So, he does a dynamic entry; he drops through the warehouse's skylight, directly onto the largest thug. A quick fight later, some impromptu teamwork, and all the thugs are out cold, or screaming, writhing in fear; except, of course, the lead.

Scarecrow walks out of the yellow smoke and eerie green flames.

(Batman had told Aquaman about Scarecrow, "-and if he involves himself in anything you're doing,-"

"Yes, you've told me. He'll only get involved if he has priority, and will leave if asked."

"Not if-"

"But not if he needs evidence from the scene, yes, I know. You are very protective of your son, Batman."

"…")


	19. Chapter 18

Shayeris and Tritonis are on the West coast of America; Poseidonis, the capital is on the East coast. Kaldur knows more about surfing than he does about lobsters; knows more about avoiding sharks than he does about inviting whales. He's a local to the reef areas off the coast from Platinum Flatts; people of Shayeris are generally more lax about going to the surface than the other peoples of Atlantis; the only people more at ease with surface dwellers would be the people of Thir Na Oge, off the coast of Ireland.

Aquaman had told his protégé, Aqualad, about Scarecrow. Scarecrow walks out of the yellow smoke and eerie green flames. (The smoke came from repurposed Easter eggs filled with Fear Toxin and Smog; the flames were the remains of some of his newer flash bombs.)

Scarecrow's steps thumped across the concrete. The boys can walk silently; Scarecrow is the best at moving in an inhuman way; Doc can drive a man insane with a few words; Johnny doesn't even need to be in the same room to scare another person. They walk loudly for effect.

It is effective.

He leaned over the man; the light from the flames reflected on his bulbous yellow goggles; his face is the face of a monster, massive gas-mask cylinders protruding from blackened burlap, massive stitches in between the cylinders create the image of too many, too sharp teeth in his mouth; his blackened tunic lending his face shadows that, in a rational world, do not exist.

"**He**~**llo, Mister Mackenna. I have a few questions for you, if you don't mind.**"

"P-please. P-p-please don't kill me."

"**Kill you? Why, Mister Mackenna, so long as you answer all my questions truthfully, I won't do more than leave you a bruise on your face. But… You lie to me, you lie to me even once… I'll beat you until you can't walk again… Ever.**" Scarecrow's voice is cordiality condensed into vocal form; the man nearly wets himself anyway.

The lead tells Scarecrow everything; there was never any doubt about it. Huntress will be… _Pleased._

"-and that's everything I know."

"**Everything?**"

"…I skim off the top sometimes, but that's everything, I _swear_."

"**A pleasure talking to you, Mister Mackenna.**"

Aqualad is both intrigued and terrified by Scarecrow. It's not surprising; Scarecrow is physically imposing, and this is one of the first times Aqualad has met another hero without his mentor there. Then again, Aqualad has been afraid before- but he's done his best to never let that stop him.

Aqualad was actually on a completely different case: people had been smuggling art; his mother's backyard is directly under the route they used to smuggle. Add in the fact that the smugglers where running their trade at the dogs-end of the night, when his mother was asleep… Well, most young men love their mothers. Kaldur loves his mother. Kaldur also still lives with his mother. There might have been nagging.

The two young men talk; Scarecrow and Aqualad recognize each other from all the times they've run into each other around town. They call the cops; the cops come and secure the scene, and the two young men leave, pull a quick change, and end up in a coffee shop. They talk.

"S-s-s-so, you still l-l-live w-w-with your m-m-mother?"

"Yes. Property is very hard to get where I live... But it is hard living with my mother."

"…I-I-I-I live in an old t-t-textile mill; it has r-r-river access. T-there's more than e-enough r-r-room, if you wanted to m-m-move in…"

"…What would rent be like?"

"W-w-well, when i-i-it w-was just m-m-me, it was three hundred a month, utilities included; with you and the other roommate, it wouldn't be more than-"

"Before we make any kind of agreements, you should make sure it is alright with your roommate that I move in."

"…G-g-good idea."

They talk more.

"…Why do you wear women's tunics?" Aqualad asked, his tone not quite mocking.

Johnny, his voice not quite defensive, but close, replied "Th-they w-w-were on cl-cl-clearance in the boy's s-s-section!"

"That is a trick women use to hide clothing they want to buy from other women." Aqualad is one of the few people in the world who can apologetically smirk; he's definitely mocking the boys now.

''…Damn.'' 'Shit.' **Fuckin' 'ell.**

"W-well… I can't fuckin' r-return it, now can I?" grumpily sigh the boys, now resigned to their fate of being a dork.


	20. Chapter 19

Roy turns out to be almost not okay with another roommate; Johnny, Scarecrow, and Doc have a hell of a time explaining why exactly they trust this Kaldur guy. ("You've _met_ him, jeeze…") Eventually, the boys just introduce the two of them, and leave for about an hour to go do... Stuff. Or whatever. When they get back, Kaldur and Roy are asleep, cuddling on the couch. All three boys decide to stay out for the night, and not disturb the two on the couch. (They also take pictures.)

In the morning, when the boys get back from six o'clock mass, Roy and Kaldur are quietly eating breakfast in the kitchen. Johnny uses his key, silently walks in, and asks

"S-s-so… How w-w-was it?"

The effect is electric. Roy jumps approximately four feet in the air, causing cereal to fly everywhere. Kaldur chokes on his tea.

"W-w-what? W-w-was it something I-I-I said?"

It was at this point that the roof decided to crash inwards; apparently, it hadn't been replaced in about two hundred years. All three young men hid and listened to the roof crashing down; heard the creaking of beams breaking; the crunch of plaster cracking off in great sheets; the sad sad tinkle of broken lights. The three young men slowly leaned out of the kitchen; Johnny leaned slightly backwards, into the great room; Roy had reflexively ducked under the counter and was now poking his head over it; Kaldur leaned out from the other side of the counter; a trio of floating heads stared into the living room.

Plaster dust was slowly swirling in the air; the sun had risen only an hour ago. Light was swirling into the gigantic space of the great room. Long strips of plywood hung down from the ceiling; longer strips of tarpaper hung down to the floor. Light fell onto the floor in a spotlight; the couch was almost completely ruined.

Johnny looks over at Roy and Kaldur. Johnny looks back at the now non-existent ceiling. The boys start to laugh, and only stop when Kaldur putting a large piece of ice down the back of their shirt.

CRANESCRANESCRANES

The boys are very hard on property. For example, during the years they lived with their great-uncle Alfred, they managed to: break parts of the ceiling and roof, blow up their toilet, throw themselves through three different windows from the inside (one of which was the transom window above the shower; no one, including the boys, knows exactly how they managed it), accidentally catch their bookshelves on fire, freeze their toilet, break the door to their room in two places, melt their laptop, catch their toilet on fire, throw their squishy pumpkin plushy through a window _when it was boarded up_, and break an antique rocking chair.

(Scarecrow was most upset about the chair, because, hello, antiques; Doc was most upset about the books that didn't make it through inexplicable fire number one; Johnny was most upset about the pumpkin plushy. On further reflection, all the boys were most upset about the plushie; it was something their baby brother had given them on their birthday. They found it eventually, but it's the _principle_ of the thing that matters.)

CRANESCRANESCRANES

The boys are renting-to-own the textile mill they, Roy, and now Kaldur, live in from their great-uncle. However, they're almost full owners of the space now, so (as specified in their contract) all necessary repairs fall on them to make.

"…W-w-we're going t-t-to hee-hee-have to f-f-fix th-th-ha-that." The boys have managed to stop laughing at Roy and Kaldur long enough to take in the situation.

Roy is an angry person; he's the proverbial rebel without a cause. (Well, he does have a cause, he just doesn't quite have enough oomph to make a difference yet.) He's the one who asks, voice a stormy glare, "Isn't the landlord legally obligated to take care of it?"

Johnny explains the contract between himself and the landlord, his great-uncle Alfred.

Kaldur is a calm person; if he had a motto, it would be "Intolerance betrays want of faith in ones cause." (That said, there are some things he will not tolerate.) He's the one who asks, his voice a gentle breeze, "How shall we fix it?"

"…We're going to have to do some DIY work, guys."

(An interesting note about the boys and their stutter: When the boys were homeless, they never, ever stuttered. Ever. When they went to live with their great-uncle, they started to stutter. The more afraid the boys are, the less they stutter. The more relaxed they are, the more they stutter. There was a time in his life where Jonathan Nathaniel Crane Pennyworth did not talk at all because of how badly he stuttered.)

The guys (Johnny, Kaldur, and Roy) go over to Ms. Bertinelli's house to borrow tools to fix the massive hole in their roof. Ms. Bertinelli ("Call me Helena,") was having breakfast when they came over. Johnny told her about the roof falling in. Helena said, through a mouthful of omlette,

"D'ya'll have toolf for fixin' yur roof?" Helena swallows onion, egg, and cheese quickly.

"N-no. W-w-we were h-h-hoping that y-y-y-you would, Ms. B-b-b-bertinelli."

"Di'nt I tell you to call me Helena, Jon-jon? Ms. Bertinelli was my mother; and anyway, I don't have the right tools for you to fix that roof with. I do have a tarp, a ladder, and some ropes you can borrow, for a while at least. I'll make some calls to my Birds of Prey friends, and see what I can get for you."

"…Do you know of a reliable contractor, Ms. Bertinelli?" Roy is the one who asks- he has calmed down a great deal, but is still rather irritated. Roy generally wakes up mildly irritated; in the time Johnny has known Roy, he has only heard him laugh once, when a goose flew into the face of the Mayor of Star City, Oliver Queen. Even then, it was only more of a chuckle.

"Actually, Johnny's the best guy I know for contractor-type work. Sorry, Roy-boy."

He sighs. "…We're going to have to get permits. I hate getting permits."

Platinum Flatts is not actually a city in its own right. Platinum Flatts is a suburb of Star City; all building permits, through some strange quirk of the law, must be procured at Star City Hall. Through a different quirk of the law, the Mayor of Star City must approve all permits. The current Mayor of Star City is Oliver Queen. Roy's irritation level just flew past "Midly Annoyed; like I had a rough night, but it's nothing I can't handle" to "!#$% GOD#!$#$ MOTHER!#$!%& PIECE OF !$Q! ARGGH ".

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Kaldur isn't there to say anything; buildings in Shayeris do have roofs, but they tend to break their moorings, or their pylons rot out, and they drift away. Most roofs do not fall in; if they do fall in, one only need "roll it up" for removal. Replacing the roof takes only as long as one needs to weave a new one. This is not Shayeris; this is Platinum Flatts. He asked Johnny "Would it be a good idea to clean out this room, so we have space to work?"

"Y-y-yeah, Kaldur, that w-w-would actually b-b-be really h-helpful. Th-th-there's a d-d-dumpster behind th-th-the mill y-y-you can p-p-put the b-b-broken s-s-stuff in."

"I will do so, in that case."

As it will turn out, clearing out a room full of fallen plaster and beams is remarkably similar to "rolling up" the seaweed roof of one of his mother's barns; the work is just as hard, the plaster is just as unwieldy, silt- no, on the surface, it is called dust- dust gets everywhere, and, of course, the work needs to be done.

Truth be told, the work is… well- enjoyable. He has done work like it all his life, but cleaning out a space simply because he lives there, and not because anyone told him to do so is somehow… more fulfilling. Moving the furniture is not as easy, but by the time Roy and Johnny get back with preliminary supplies, Kaldur has moved everything except the carpet into the back courtyard.


	21. Chapter 20

This part of the story is about Permafrost, The Birds of Prey, Scarecrow, Red Arrow, and Young Justice:

The guys replaced the roof. There were mishaps, of course: the boys fell off the roof twice; Roy electrocuted himself putting in the new lights; Kaldur drove a nail through the largest webbing in his left hand; Helena's car got firebombed (again); the boys got arrested for jaywalking; Roy caught the flu, and was nursed by Kaldur; Kaldur caught Roy's flu, and was nursed by Roy; the boys broke their nose, sprained their wrist, and sung horribly off key trying to Skype with Maureen; Helena got arrested for jaywalking (again); Roy got beat up by a biker gang; Scarecrow and Aqualad beat up a biker gang; the guys had to get a new fridge because someone stole theirs when they moved it onto the sidewalk (they had decided to just go ahead and remodel the kitchen too); the boys got food poisoning; Finals happened for everyone, even Ms. Bertinelli (she actually is an accountant; her finals happen during tax season); and their laundry machine caught on fire. Twice.

("Roy, you have to _completely_ empty your pockets when you put your hero-pants into the wash. Explosives, like C-4, _**explode**_."

"Sorry, Johnny."

…CRANES…

"Kaldur, if it doesn't turn on, you have to check that it's _**plugged**_ _**in**_, and that it's _**turned**_ _**on**_. _Shocking_ it, while cathartic, is **Not**. **Helpful**."

"… I will keep that in mind.")

The guys manage to replace the roof, though. Somehow. They also became friends; the boys got teased by Roy and Kaldur about their thing with Maureen; the guys drank lots of beer together and just italked/i, often about nothing; Johnny taught Kaldur and Roy how to use public transportation; Roy learns to prepare traditional Atlantean food- lots of fish, few spices, as raw and fresh as you can get it- and Kaldur learns to cook northern California surface dweller food- lots of fish, more spices than he's used to, as fresh as you can get it; Helena makes all three of them into honorary members of The Birds of Prey, which is actually a clandestine superhero group. (All female, but Helena did say that they needed to fill out the rosters somehow.)

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Robin isn't sure how he should feel about Permafrost. On one hand, she's really super-nice once you get to know her, just like his brother, Scarecrow; on the other hand, she isn't Scarecrow, his brother.

Oh, sure, she won't let him patrol the Narrows without her (just like his brother); she doesn't approve of his dating habits (just like his brother); and she thinks that his stupidity quotient goes up thirty points when he's with Wally (just like his brother).

Then again, she'll let him take on a biker gang single handedly if he says that he can beat them (and lets him take a few hits before she intervenes. He's been learning a lot about how to fight when out-numbered, and she always intervenes when he gets in over his head; but those bruises _hurt_); she'll help cover with Batman when he wants to party with Kid Flash in Central (who always finds out anyway); and she taught him how to hotwire vehicles (Johnny would only teach him how to pick locks and pockets.) But she isn't his brother. Dick _misses_ his brother.

Dick misses his dorky older brother, who collects and sometimes refinishes antiques, sings off key in the shower, cusses out C-SPAN, reads and will let him borrow ireally/i schmoopy romance novels, knows more about the human psyche than even _Batman_, and has a crush of the approximate size of Australia on Maureen Conner; the guy who blew up a microwave oven at an extremely boring party to entertain his younger brother. (Bruce was actually quite impressed by that; the party was almost over, and the hole in the yard wasn't _that_ deep. Besides, it was a moment of brotherly bonding.

"…Master Bruce, please refrain from encouraging your son, and my nephew into more dangerous endeavors than mere pyrotechnics. Young Master Richard wants to zip-line from the roof now; my Johnny is working out a relatively safe way to oblige him.")

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Kaldur's mother, Sha'laina, had discovered that her _son_ is _gay_ when he was six years old. By eight, she had also discovered just how _dense_ her baby boy is about his own emotions; never the emotions of other people, other creatures; it's like he's got a blind spot around himself. At ten, she saw how polite and kind-hearted her son is. At twelve, when his mandated two years of Service to the Kingdom came up, Sha'laina wondered what- when, if- her son would return.

-_Que sera, sera_-

The Kingdom of Atlantis, like Switzerland, conscripts its population at an early age into the Atlantean Armed Forces (AFF). The members of AFF are conscripted at age twelve, and get their first year of leave after basic training, which is typically over at age fourteen. After the first year of leave, the new AFF members are tested for aptitudes, and given assignments based on the results of those tests. Kaldur was tested early, (because he has blond hair; don't think that discrimination is only a human failing) and got sent to the Conservatory of Sorcery in Poseidonis. He was fourteen at the time; mages in Atlantis are often concentrated in the Atlantic, and the south-western Pacific Oceans. Poseidonis and Thir Na Oge are known for their magi; Shayeris is known for its farms.

(Thir Na Oge has one of the highest rates of surface-dweller to Atlantean intermarriage, and visa-versa. The most common hair-color is red-brown; it is known for its seal by-products. Tula is from Thir Na Oge. Poseidonis is the capitol of Atlantis; it has some of the highest concentrations of magi in the world. The most common hair-color is black; it is known for its artisans. Garth is from Poseidonis.)

-_Whatever will be, will be_-

Kaldur figures out that he is gay when he realizes that he wants to give a romantic shell-collection to his best friend, iGarth/i, not his best friend Tula. He already knows that Garth and Tula are into each other; he bows out, quietly. He also keeps the shells that he had gathered for Garth. (He will later give them to Roy; the boys will explain their import, and help him collect a reciprocal shell-collection.)

Atlantis has such high rates of magi in its population that it has all but regulated its magical education. No magi are allowed into civilian settings until they have learned to control whatever power they might have. The more power a person has, the harder that power is to control; Kaldur is a very powerful magi. It takes him a year to learn to control his power- most magi from Shayeris need only a few weeks, and magi from Thir Na Oge and Poseidonis spend most of their lives learning to control themselves. (Becoming Aqualad does not help.)

Kaldur would return to his mother's farm in Shayeris when he was fifteen, and live with her for a year. After that, he would move into a remodeled textile mill, fall into friends-with-benefits (love), and do great things. But first, he has to move back home, to his mother's seaweed farm.

After his first three years in the AFF, Kaldur swam through the Anacapa Reef near Shayeris, dove down through a hidden grotto; the main gates of Shayeris. He swam down half remembered pathways; swam through almost recognized neighborhoods; swam through vast fields of undulating seaweed- _how did I forget playing in these when I was young?_- ; swam towards his mother's house, with its black lava-stone walls and it's heavy green seaweed roof. He swims faster now; breathes great gushes of water in and out of his gill-lungs. Then- ah, then- he sees his mother for the first time in three years.

Sha'laina has golden hair, just like his; creamy pale skin, dotted with freckles; gills, frilly, lacey confections of flesh, gently swaying to the bottom of her orange spotted, black striped tail. She is tending, pruning the coral gardens his father had helped her plant, before he died. Kaldur darts forwards, stops just outside his mother's reach. She turns, and sees this strange young man in her garden- then she _looks_ at him; sees the young man her son has grown into, without her.

Mother and son embrace for the first time in three years; it is the first time in three years that Kaldur has allowed himself to cry. Now he cries without shame, held safely in his mother's arms. He cries because the Poseidonian adage he learned at the Conservatory is truer than he could have ever imagined: "Once a person leaves their home, they can never return to it. The person who left the home is not the same as the person who will return to it; the home the person will return to is not the same home as the person left."


	22. Chapter 21

Artemis Crock was ten years old when she decided to run away. It was because of her deadly dilemma, you see: on the one side, if she leaves, she will break her mother's heart; she's the last of her mother's children that her mother knows, for certain, is still alive. Flipside, if she stays, her father's crazy-ass kung-fool training will kill her. So, being the pragmatic little girl she is, Artemis makes a plan, follows her plan, and leaves when she is twelve years old.

Artemis, and her older sister Jade, have been trained to be "super" assasins. They were both trained by their father; Jade excelled at the whole "sneaking in and killing people" thing; Artemis showed exquisite talent at the "mysterious disappearance" thing. Artemis' plan is simple enough; it would just take a long time to work. She wasn't sure she would live long enough to see it through, but she had to try.

Her plan has three parts: Set Up; Distract; Vanish.

To start the Set Up part of her plan, she started taking over her sister's side of the room. It's little things at first- leaving her stuff on Jade's side of the room-, but it soon becomes clear that _No, Arty, J-J really isn't coming back for your worthless hide_, and soon, little things become big things. (Which leads directly to part two, Distract, where she hides her _real _plan with a fake hobby/coping mechanism. What is that coping mechanism? _Thrifting.)_

The Gotham Clothing Exchange has sold clothing at a fixed price of $1.30/lb since 1936. Artemis would spend $30 there at one time during the summer between year one and year two of her plan. The large selection of clothes she could now practice with was worth the shin splints carrying the fabric up to her mother's fifth floor walk-up; worth the blisters on her insteps; worth the $60 dollar charge for the cargo van to move it all to her mother's apartment; worth her father's snide remarks.

-_Work it harder, make it better, do it faster, makes us stronger_-

She planned to be gone before May. Another part of the Distract portion of her plan called for her to amass ludicrous amounts of stage jewelry, make-up expertise, wigs, and other disguise sundries. (Her actual running-the-hell-away plan was more along the lines of "So overt, it's covert." She wouldn't wear a wig to run; she wouldn't try to… _disguise_ herself, exactly. The actual hair-dye she used was bought with cash at school. Easier said than done; but she has two years to plan this out, and the patience of a true hunter.)

Her transformation into someone unrecognizable is as easy and quick as a distinctive hair-cut, some dye, a few tacky accessories, and a frilly black dress.

She goes west; the Light is stronger further west, but Shadows are what Artemis Crock is running from.

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Dana Tan is new to Platinum Flatts. She had to leave her hometown of Gotham City, and she tries hard not to think about the family left behind. She needs a place to live; somewhere she can defend, if need be.

Helena Bertinelli has lived two houses down from an old textile for most of her life. She has never been outside of Platinum Flatts; she sometimes entertains thoughts of going sightseeing in Gotham, but that's all they are: thoughts. Her house in Platinum Flatts has two bedrooms, three baths, an open-concept kitchen, a remodeled attic with a skylight window that opens from the inside, an extremely deep, extremely narrow backyard, and a garage.

Helena had been looking for a boarder for her spare bedroom; she doesn't have neighbors, and gets lonely. When her ad in the paper is answered by a "Dana Tan", she asks to meet her potential boarder in one of her favorite coffee shops. (Not the one with the cute guys in it, the one run by her Bird of Prey friend, Vixen.)

The two women meet at Wild Thing café; Helena recognized Dana by her description of her hair, "I'll be the only woman in the room bold enough to mix a pink base with blue highlights." Dana is sitting at one of Helena's favorite booths in the café: it is blocked on the front-window side by a thick-backed book shelf; the table is easy enough to flip for cover and more than thick enough to stop bullets; there are beautifully clear lines of sight from every seat at that booth to every part of the café. Tellingly, Ms. Tan is sitting in the back corner, her back to a perpendicular wall.

Helena would let Dana Tan move into her attic; Dana would leave Helena's house, taking only a few small things of hers, and a long indigo bag, about a week before the boys moved into the old mill down the street.

("So… What're you runnin' from, Kiddo?"

"…Shadows.")

Dana Tan would return to Helena's house two weeks after the guys would finish fixing the roof of the mill, the first of May.

("Why'd you leave, Kiddo?"

"Too many Shadows following me; didn't want them to hurt you too. It's fine now."

"…Why's that? What happened to the Shadows following you?"

"They died.")

Dana Tan says that she's from Bludhaven; she's lying. (_Real_ 'Haveners _loathe_ Platinum Flatts. The streets are all the wrong way around. To be fair, people from Star City hate Gotham too, for the exact same reason.)

Dana Tan says she is sixteen; she is lying. Dana Tan is fourteen. (Dana Tan is really Artemis Crock in disguise, but- _Shhh, don't tell anyone, okay?_) (It took her two years to cross the country- and she left a long trail of dead bodies behind her.)

CRANESCRANESCRANES

In another place and time, Artemis Crock would have been a Speedy fan-girl. She would _say_ that she admired Green Arrow; she really admired Speedy's biceps. _(And if I want biceps like his, well, who has to know? Betcha no one hurt a person with biceps like that!)_

In that world, Artemis Crock's father would leave her sister and her mother and her when she was eight. Jade would leave later the same year. Her father would return when she was nine. She would not live in that home apartment with both her parents her mother. Her father left again when she was fourteen; she would become a heroine soon after. (She would endure her father's teache- _that man's_ training for three years, and when he left, she would be unyielding from the flames of training. When she would meet Kid Flash, something in her would shatter- sharply cutting into them both.)

("Wart! Hey Wart, wake up!"

"Mmmngh… Jade?"

" What do you wanna be when you grow up?"

"Whuh?"

"Like, I'm going to be a 'sassin, like Daddy- So what do you wanna be?"

"Ummmm… I'ma be Dangerous, like Mommy… can I goes back to sleep?"

"Yeah, goes 'head.")

In this world, Artemis Crock left her mother's house when she was twelve years old. Her sister and father had both left when she was eight; her father returned a few months later in the same year. Her sister did not. (She made herself endure for four years; perhaps this Artemis is smarter than the other one; perhaps she made such a radical decision _because_ of her youth, not despite it.) She ran away from the East, and Shadows. She hid herself in plain sight; changed her name, and her style, and her _words- voice- thoughts- feelings-;_ every time the Shadows would find Artemis (and they always found Artemis), she would leave again. She ran for two years, killing all who would follow her- never settling into a spot, never making any kind of ties to the place she was.

(Shadows hunted for Artemis Crock; whenever the Shadows found Artemis Crock, the Shadows would end up dead. As Artemis went further West, the Shadows became smarter, stronger, more dangerous.

So did Artemis, until she couldn't be Artemis anymore. That was when she… became Dana Tan.)

Dana Tan would become the sidekick of Huntress; she would call herself Artemis. "_It's so I won't- forget._" (Huntress knows that her sidekick is not sixteen, not from Bludhaven, and not named Dana Tan. She just doesn't make a big deal out of it; when this Artemis meets Kid Flash, there is a great deal more reciprocal sexual tension.)

Dick had figured out that he was bi when he was twe thirteen, _I'm thirteen now, gotta remember that_ and he realized that he had a crush on his computer lab partner, Barbra Gordon, and his best-friend-who-is-also-a-super-hero, Kid Flash (Wally West). They're both smart, funny (to him), and kind. (They both also have red hair and freckles, but Dick is smart enough to know when he has a type.) The only problem with chasing down Wally and ripping off all his clothing with his teeth is that Wally is straight. Not straight with a little bend in there, straight as in totally into women- the guy would flirt with a dead woman. (The guy _had_ flirted with a (currently) dead woman. There was time-travel involved.)

Dick is also under-age; he might be thirteen, but he's short, and scrawny looking and he always looks like a total dork with his hair slicked back. (And with Wally being so damn straight, Dick decides that it's better to not even try. He'll just… ignore his feelings, and they'll _go away_… Right?) So, he decides to practice his flirting on the girls at school. His older brother Johnny doesn't approve of this; Johnny thinks Dick is a year too young to try to get a date, and that he's setting himself up for disaster later. (Johnny doesn't know that Dick is Bi, or that he has a crush on two different people with whom he is good friends with- but if he had, he would probably have the same opinion on the matter.)

His brother's not-quite girlfriend, Maureen, also disapproves of him flirting (stringing girls along). Her reason is different: "Patterns are hard to break, _Watch your left!_ Robin. Once you get used to flirting _Hit him harder, and make sure he stays down_, but never actually **doing** anything, it will be very _You call that a front-flip!_ hard for you to change your ways. You're a very _Twirl that weighted cape, or else!_ stubborn person."

Dick ignores his brother's girlfriend's advice (about his love life, not about fighting in a crowd.) He continues to flirt with (string along) girls; when he actually goes after his DreamGirl™, she wants absolutely nothing to do with him. (He'll never quite tell his brother the whole sorry mess; his brother will figure it out anyway. There will be hugs, and cookies, and a rather impressive highscore on Call of Duty dual-play.)

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Wally West doesn't believe in magic. It's not a big deal really, but it does mean that he doesn't believe in love. (Or miracles, or heaven, or nirvana. Wally lives a very… stifled life.) He resolutely ignores the signals he's getting from his best bro, Robin. (1, the guy is like, ten and 2, Wally is really really very seriously not gay. No, really. _Which isn't to say that the guy isn't cute, or smart, or funny- but really, I'm not gay! Really!)_ He also has a rather major crush on Linda Park, a student reporter from his school. His friends-with-benefits thing with Artemis is just… a thing he has with Artemis. _(Shut up, Robin!)_

Dana Tan does not believe in love; something to do with her mother's love not saving her from her father. She reserves her judgment on magic; there's this one guy she keeps meaning to kill, but ends up just throwing back into jail- Cameron Mahkent; he's stupid, and chauvinistic, and he has very pretty eyes and – _Fucking shit-hell! __Mẹ ngọt ngào của lòng thương xót, rằng không có con trai con hoangcủa một con điếm của lợn! Je vais tuer ce fils de pute!-_ It must be magic that has stayed her hand so many times. (_The small child within her refuses to kill her childhood crush…_) When Artemis fell into friends-with-benefits (not love) with Kid Flash, she thinks long and hard about how she can do the same with Icicle Jr. Without, you know, the whole dying from exposure thing. (She plans out how exactly she's going to kill _that_ _man_, Sportsmaster. It won't be easy- but her sister probably won't stop her. Probably.)

M'gann M'orzz is from Mars. She is a Martian; she takes special care not to say which kind of Martian she is.


	23. Chapter 22

As a race of shapeshifters, physical appearance has little meaning for all Martians. The underlying psychological differences are what originally separated the philosophizing Green Martians from the war-like White Martians and the hedonistic Yellows. In later centuries, tradition and social stigma would be what separated the three sibling races. (The arty Yellow Martians would all but die out due to genetic disease. The three races were not psychologically compatible; the Whites did not understand why they should help, and the Greens couldn't make a decision to help or not help in time. Eventually the Yellows were absorbed into the Greens, but there is still an echo-layer of residual resentment for both parties in all Green Martians with Yellow Martian blood.)

White Martians learned to configure their physiology to reflect their war-philosophy at a young age, becoming, in effect, beasts- a separate race entirely from the Green Martians. The White Martians preferred form is that of an angular, hairless humanoid with chalky white skin; the skin often forms bony ridges or plates, giving the White the appearance of being armored. They have sometimes been seen to have a gaping mouth on their abdomen, and (or) a horn on the same level on each side.

It was eventually discovered that the White Martians did not evolve alongside the Green Martians as was previously believed. In reality the Green (and Yellow) and White Martians were part of the same race, known as "The Burning". The Burning used fire to reproduce asexually and were belligerent to all. The Guardians of the Universe, fearing the ruthlessly and violently powerful Martians, genetically split the Martian race into two (three) distinct species, white (yellow) and green, preventing the asexual reproduction. They also gave these two (three) new races an instinctive fear of fire to prevent either (each) group from ever accessing their full potential. The timeframe for this genetic tampering was given as 20,000 years ago, contemporary with the early life of Vandal Savage on Earth. (The Guardians made a mistake in the Yellow Martians genetic coding- that mistake would eventually all but wipe them out; the few Yellow-Green Martians remaining are bitter, cruel individuals, concerned only with their own pleasure.)

While the Green Martians were peaceful philosophers, the White Martians were savage warriors. A lengthy civil war between the two races ended when the few surviving adult White Martians were rounded up and exiled to the extra-dimensional Still Zone which is distinct from Superman's Phantom Zone.

M'gann grew up during the last years of the Civil War- she went from having her frien _comrades_ with her in the academy, and all her teachers, and her neighbors- everyone she knows around her, and living, and wonderfully, amazingly _alive_- to walking outside her family's house one day, and finding all her comrades from the academy gone, and all her neighbors gone, and all her teachers gone. (_Gone_. That's the word they taught her to use. Gone… and Stopped.) When she got home, she found that her parents, and her sisters, and her brothers were gone too- Her cousins were gone as well. (Everyone's gone. Oh, M'gann, everyone's _gone_. Now you're all alone…) M'gann stayed the night in her family's empty (too empty) house- ate a cold dinner of splex and masi. (Adult Martians are self-sustaining; Juveniles are not.) She curled up in her little bed; bid herself goodnight; cried a little bit. She was picked up by the Greens the next day.

They took her away from her home- took her away from her family's little house with the _just so_ pattern of stones- took her away from the empty shell of her world; a battle between Martians can happen anytime, anywhere- took her away in a cage like she was dangerous. She was chronologically twelve. (She was six. Her favorite earth TV-show was My Little Ponies: Friendship is Magic.) When she was forty-eight, (sixteen; _Hello_, _Meghan!_), she stowed away on a ship headed for Earth- she reasoned that _I can just be me on Earth- What's one more Earth girl in a crowd? There will be no need to… Pretend._ The ship she stowed away on was J'onn J'onnz's. When he found her on his ship (_Frak!_), she lied. Not a big lie, exactly- she isn't one of his nieces. She was _taken in by_ one of his nieces. Her last name isn't M'orzz- she doesn't remember what it was. It was too long ago.

She wasn't exactly planning on being his protégé, but y'know… it seemed like a good idea at the time. Or something.


	24. Chapter 23

In another time and place, Superboy would have been discovered and rescued by Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Robin. In this world, he was discovered and rescued by Aqualad, Kid Flash, Robin, and Artemis. (With assistance from Red Arrow, Aqualad, and Scarecrow.)

It was the Fourth of July. Ice villains had been causing problems all through the country; today is the day when Kid Flash, Robin, Aqualad, and Artemis would be allowed access to the Hall of Justice. (Huntress is a member of the Justice League; she is also a member of The Birds of Prey. No one ever said that the two groups are mutually exclusive; other members of both groups include Vixen, Black Canary, Big Barda, Crazy Jane, Dolphin, Danny the Street, and many, _many_ others.)

Robin was helping Permafrost fight Mister Freeze- she actually did need his help in the fight. Although her powers are ice-based, she has an annoying tendency towards extreme collateral damage. She had gotten much better than from when she had started; half the city no longer had to shut down because of icy conditions when she fights a major villain. Permafrost is also indispensable when fighting Poison Ivy. (Most plants don't like to be flash-frozen; Ivy's pollens don't really work on a person who flash freezes all the air they inhale.)

Mister Freeze is different; while Permafrost can fight him ice-to-ice, it wouldn't really help anything. There isn't a safe way for her to test her outer limits, short of going to another planet entirely; Maureen isn't willing to disappoint Johnny fail her Duty towards her little slice of Gotham, the Narrows. Although she could easily take Freeze down with her hand-to-hand skills, his life support armor gets in the way. Thus the team-up with Robin, that sunny Fourth of July in Gotham;

"Oh? Somehow I was expecting the Bat, not the Boy Wonder and Little Miss Snowflake."

"…If the opposite of Disturbed is Turbed… That guy is not 'turbed, not turbed at i_all_/i." Robin mumbled to himself.

Permafrost dodged another ice-spear, and blocked an ice blast- taunting Freeze with "So, the big bad Mis-tah Freezy poopsicle can't even catch a wittle-bittly Snowfreak? What _is_ the world coming to?" Her voice is smooth, icy cold; her words stab like knives- which only makes her words worse for Freeze to hear. He bellows with rage, and blasts her with a ray of ice- just like she wanted him to. Freeze became so focused on Permafrost that he didn't notice Robin creeping up behind him; didn't know what happened when he was knocked out by a concussive bird-arang.

"Was the banter really necessary, Permzy?"

Permafrost smiled the kind of smile that would have Jonathan Nathaniel Crane Pennyworth on his knees, begging for her hand in marriage, had he but been there to see it. "Don't be hatin' baby-bird. Besides, isn't today important, or something?"

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Aqualad was with his mentor, Aquaman. They were fighting Killer Frost; Today is the day. Aqualad had not drifted so far from his mentor, his king; he had no reason to. Although Aqualad is powerful in his own right, he lacks that most integral of traits found in famous heroes the world over- _ambition_. Truth be told, Kaldur'ahm of Shayeris truly wanted nothing more than to do this hero… _thing_ for a while, then- he would return to Shayeris, and farm his families lands like his ancestors had in years before, and would in years to come. That was- _is_- his dream; now with the addition of Roy, his dream included strawberry blondes to work the farm; strawberry blondes who have Roy's blue eyes. (It is a fact of Atlantean physiology that in same sex couples, one of the two would _change_, enabling more of the species to be created. It is a fact of Atlantean culture that everyone is at the very least, open to possibility. It is also a fact that clothing isn't really necessary for propriety, but that is neither here nor there.) His mother approved of Roy; Aquaman approved of Roy; Garth and Tula approved of Roy. All this, oddly (to him), did not make Kaldur feel better- What if Roy- his beautiful Roy, with the blue, blue eyes- what if he did not wish to have children with him? What if- _please_ _no_, but- what if Roy wanted more than Kaldur could give him? (He had not told anyone- especially not Roy- "I don't think my boyfriend wants to be domestic with me?")

Heavy stuff for a Fourth of July afternoon, especially when one is fighting a very psychotic supervillianess. Aquaman, despite his sometimes negative media portrayal, is _very_ observant.

"Is something troubling you, Kaldur'ahm?"

"Not at all my king. Although... I am a bit- nervous, about today."

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Red Arrow, Artemis, Huntress, and Green Arrow were fighting Icicle Jr. It might have been overkill, but they were in the middle of Star Bridge, so it was really more of a free for all. Huntress was the only one with her head in the game- Roy and Oliver were too busy arguing; Cameron and Dana were too busy flirting. Oh- no, tell a lie- Artemis just knocked out Icicle Jr.

Red Arrow was arguing with Green Arrow about the merits of adoption. Roy had been thinking about it for a while- and no, he did not think he was moving too quickly. Superheroing is dangerous- he'd like to have a life with Kaldur as soon as possible.

Artemis still can't quite bring herself to kill strikeCameron/strike iIcicle Jr./i He drives her crazy- but he likes all the things she does; He'll even eat the old-style French cooking she likes to do. He's also a bit of an idiot; he said this during their fight:

"We should get married, Artemis."

"You're still a supervillain, Cam. And anyway, I've been hearing noise about something called The Light. You involved in that?"

"N-no, but I heard Shakespeare didn't write the Great Gatsby until he was almost ninety!"

"...Cameron, almost every word in that sentence was wrong."

At which point she knocked him out. Cameron isn't good at being bad; Artemis is _frighteningly_ good at being bad. Meaning, Cameron can't lie worth a damn. Artemis is not amused when her- gah, what can she even call this thing she has with Cameron without it coming out weird?- Cameron lies to her.

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Kid Flash is fighting Captain Cold in Central City with his uncle, The Flash. (Flash! Aaah-Aaah, Savior of the Universe!) Wally does not have a mild case of hero-worship for his uncle- Wally has a rather major case of hero-worship for his uncle. He has since he was six years old, and figured out that, no, Sparks the Turtle (The Fastest Turtle in the World!) is not going to wake up; his uncle took him out for supportive ice cream, which, as any woman can tell you, is way better than break-up ice cream.

Central City is a city located across the Missouri River from Keystone City, in Kansas. Central City and its sister-city, Keystone City, are known as the "Twin Cities" due to their proximity to each other; separated only by a river that runs between them. Citizens are fond of describing the city as; "Gotham may never sleep, but Central is always on the run."

The city was originally founded in the 19th century and became an important stop for cattle drives. It began to see tremendous growth after the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, becoming the first major hub west of Chicago. A second period of growth occurred after World War I, and has burgeoned to the present day

The city is perhaps most famous for being protected by the Flash (Barry Allen), and for being assailed by the various colorful members of The Rogues. (Wally knew all of this because he had done a history assignment on it- apparently, Central City has one of the highest rates of flood-damage in the tri-state area. Who knew?)

Wally is actually from Keystone City- but moved to Central when he was twelve. His mother had just finalized the divorce, and he wasn't too sure about his step-father, Rudy. His aunt Iris was also getting married to this Barry guy; everything was changing. Eventually, he got used to his new dad, Rudy; got used to his new uncle, Barry- and then he figured out that his uncle Barry is actually the Flash.

Only Wallace Matthias West would have created the non-Newtonian Newtonian fluid and a triangle with three right angles in it (because somebody had to). Only Wallace Matthias West could have twisted common matter through dimensions it was not supposed to enter, all in the name of science. And only Wallace Matthias West could have given himself superspeed like Flash's by accident. (In another world, he gave himself superspeed on purpose; in another world, his name was Wallace Rudolph West.)


	25. Chapter 24

Artemis, Kid Flash, and Robin had definitely been through this part of CADMUS. Red Arrow was examining the blue arrows embedded into the walls; iThese are fire suppression- hard to use without a line of sight; makes sense to use two- the angle says she was on the street when she shot them. Heavy poundage on that bow of hers…/i

Aqualad was searching for the source of the reported fire; iThis… isn't right. There should be some trail of how this fire started- but no point(s) of origin. It is almost- magical… but there is no magic here…/i

Scarecrow finds an express elevator. b "Guys, you need to see this."/b

Artemis, Kid Flash, and Robin had gotten to CADMUS minutes after the League left for the blocking-out-the-sun mission. Artemis had been carried by Kid Flash to CADMUS.

("Need a ride, Beautiful?"

"You offering, Cowboy?")

Robin rode his motorcycle. (He had to go back to the Batcave for it, but it was worth the trip. Alfred did see him swipe the motorcycle, but only said _"There are times when I, too, disagree with Master Bruce's decisions. And when that happens, there's something I do that never fails to lift my spirits: I disobey him.")_

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Project: Cadmus was originally formed by Dr. Dabney Donovan, before Lionel Luthor bought it from him and turned it into a lucrative genetics lab. Donovan was a mad scientist who was ultimately fired from the Project because he felt there should never be limits in understanding the potential of the genetic code. He tested those limits with some of the cruelest, most inhumane experimentation ever conceived.

Donovan is largely accredited for the non-sapient creations of the Project, referred to as "G-Nomes" (beings which have been cloned and genetically altered to discover supernatural potentials; also giving them a more alien- inhuman- appearance. G-Nomes can look like anything one could imagine- G-Nomes can do almost anything one could desire, with the proper genetic coding.)

After Donovan was removed from CADMUS, the lab was run by the Newsboy Legion (or Newsboy Army.) The Newsboy Legion was a group of orphans, living on the streets of Suicide Slum (in Metropolis, D.C.), so named because they sold newspapers to make a living. They were also frequently in trouble with the law, although local policeman Jim Harper (the original Guardian, great-cousin of Roy Harper) had a soft spot for them. The Newsboy Legion consisted of Tommy Tompkins (the leader); Big Words (the team genius); Gabby (an excitable kid who never stopped talking); and Scrapper (the tough guy).

When Project: CADMUS became property of Lex Luthor, The (new) Legionnaires were the said to be the (identical) sons of the originals, who were now working at a government genetics project. A new addition to the team was Walter "Flipper Dipper" Johnson Jr., an African-American. He was obsessed with and very capable of underwater maneuvers. He was also the son of another member of the Project, Dr. Jana Dublix. His nickname was later shortened to "Flip".

The original Legion never had identical sons. It was eventually discovered that the (new) Newsboy Legion were clones, created by the same technology that recreated the Guardian, as part of a Luthor plot gone (horribly) right. Like the Guardian clone, they shared their "fathers'" memories, at least up to their current age, meaning that they were sometimes unfamiliar with the modern world (for example, the new Flip's memories dated from the fifties, rather than the forties.) The clones were always getting into trouble, such as when they hid the existence of a large monster that ate furniture.

The (cloned) Newsboys also used real, respectable names: Big Words was Anthony Rodriguez; Gabby was Johnny Gabrielli and Scrapper was Patrick MacGuire. They were briefly joined by the Guardian's niece "Famous" Bobbi Harper, but she subsequently went to stay with another relative; she would eventually have a son named Roy.

Both versions of the Legion would deal with adversaries such as the insane scientist Dabney Donovan. The Cadmus project entire would deal with attacks and manipulation from Lex Luthor's forces.

Two years before that fateful Independence Day, significant changes in Project Cadmus meant the Newsboys left the Project. It was briefly suggested that the clones were investigating what was really behind these changes, but this was proven false when their dead bodies were dragged out of the Potomac River. Forensics declared a death from "drowning"; obviously the round holes in their skulls had nothing to do with their deaths.

During WWII, the Metropolis Guardian newspaper had a citywide network of volunteer reporters called the "Newsboy Army". Super-anthropologists would eventually discover that the Newsboy Army was one of the first active superhero groups in America during the forties in an area of Metropolis (D.C.) called Nowhere Street. Nowhere Street would eventually burn down, and be replaced with Suicide Slum.

Southside, also known as The Simon Projects, and most notably, Suicide Slum, has been at various times the stomping ground of several superheroes, including the Guardian (who protected the Newsboy Legion) and Black Lightning. The district's real name is Hobb's Bay; Project: CADMUS is in Hobb's bay. Suicide Slum is also the site of The Ace O' Clubs, a bar owned by Superman supporter Bibbo Bibbowski.

Clark Kent wrote a column about 'The Simon Project' for The Daily Planet, early on in his career as Superman. Known as 'Southside' and 'Suicide Slum', the area is believed by many to be beyond help, even Superman's. When a child named Lateesha Johnson witnessed a local gang murder a group of local kids who were playing basketball for no apparent reason, she became a target. The criminals feared she would tell the police of what she saw.

Clark Kent learned the residents believe Superman doesn't care. As Superman, he targeted every known criminal and destroyed every gun, hoping to also protect Lateesha from the gang members she saw.

However, an unnamed arms dealer, who works for a "Mr. L.," (surprise, surprise) supplies more unregistered guns to the neighborhood's criminals. Lateesha is injured and Clark, not caring that he is risking his secret identity, gets her to help. He feels the overwhelming fear, helplessness and outrage of the citizenry... As Clark Kent his column garners enough attention that Lateesha's family is able to move and more officers are assigned to patrol the Project. Superman himself also steps up his patrolling of the area.

The new (Lex Luthor appointed) project head is Dominic "the Mechanic" Desmond, a former Suicide Slum resident with a reputation for being able to "fix" anything, a car or a country. The new head of genetics is Dr. Serling Roquette, a teenaged genius with a crush on the (cloned) Guardian.

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Once the trio got to CADMUS, Robin and Kid Flash were the first into the fray, leaving Artemis on the street below. Artemis barely has time to stagger to her feet before the two boys are in the building, and almost loses her cool right then and there. _(We're supposed to be a __**team**__ on a mission, guys!) _She has been trained by Huntress; she learned to work in a team-style with both the Arrows. Red Arrow and Green Arrow will _always_ show up when a fight is bigger than a block- sometimes they'll show up just to say "Hi". _-They're both dorks; well-meaning dorks, but dorks-_

There is no time to dwell on the advisability of teaming up with people she just met- they're on a mission now. Artemis aimed a pair of arrows; drew the bowstring taught, then released. The two blue arrows flew through the air, arcing inside the burning room and _thwacking_ into the far wall. They exploded, dousing Kid Flash, Robin, and two scientists who were trapped there – Dr. Rosencrantz, and Dr. Guildenstern- in flame suppressing chemicals.

Robin quickly helped the two scientists to the window, and helped them out; they fell to safety, a pair of white-coated suits bumping onto a red and white canvas cloth bullseye. After Artemis made sure that the scientists were unharmed, she shot another arrow, and ziplined up the building, flipping into the smoky room above her. Her orange and purple tipped hair shines in the light of the mid-afternoon sun. (Dana Tan changes her hair color every week- every six months she washes her hair back to blond. Artemis Crock needs to just be _herself_ sometimes.)

Artemis, who stood in front of the window, was in the exact perfect place to see- _what_? _Something_… _Strange_. _Inhuman_- She dashes forwards, stumbles to a halt in front of closed elevator doors. She stares at them, _There's something weird about that elevator- what though?_

The boys follow her; Robin clears up her confusion. "What is an express elevator doing in a _two_ _story_ _building?_"

Kid Flash is actually the most adventurous of all three of them; he says, with a quiet sort of glee, "Let's find out."


	26. Chapter 25

Artemis, Kid Flash, and Robin had definitely been through this part of CADMUS. Red Arrow was examining the blue arrows embedded into the walls; iThese are fire suppression- hard to use without a line of sight; makes sense to use two- the angle says she was on the street when she shot them. Heavy poundage on that bow of hers…/i

Aqualad was searching for the source of the reported fire; iThis… isn't right. There should be some trail of how this fire started- but no point(s) of origin. It is almost- magical… but there is no magic here…/i

Scarecrow finds an express elevator. b "Guys, you need to see this."/b

Artemis, Kid Flash, and Robin had gotten to CADMUS minutes after the League left for the blocking-out-the-sun mission. Artemis had been carried by Kid Flash to CADMUS.

("Need a ride, Beautiful?"

"You offering, Cowboy?")

Robin rode his motorcycle. (He had to go back to the Batcave for it, but it was worth the trip. Alfred did see him swipe the motorcycle, but only said _"There are times when I, too, disagree with Master Bruce's decisions. And when that happens, there's something I do that never fails to lift my spirits: I disobey him.")_

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Project: Cadmus was originally formed by Dr. Dabney Donovan, before Lionel Luthor bought it from him and turned it into a lucrative genetics lab. Donovan was a mad scientist who was ultimately fired from the Project because he felt there should never be limits in understanding the potential of the genetic code. He tested those limits with some of the cruelest, most inhumane experimentation ever conceived.

Donovan is largely accredited for the non-sapient creations of the Project, referred to as "G-Nomes" (beings which have been cloned and genetically altered to discover supernatural potentials; also giving them a more alien- inhuman- appearance. G-Nomes can look like anything one could imagine- G-Nomes can do almost anything one could desire, with the proper genetic coding.)

After Donovan was removed from CADMUS, the lab was run by the Newsboy Legion (or Newsboy Army.) The Newsboy Legion was a group of orphans, living on the streets of Suicide Slum (in Metropolis, D.C.), so named because they sold newspapers to make a living. They were also frequently in trouble with the law, although local policeman Jim Harper (the original Guardian, great-cousin of Roy Harper) had a soft spot for them. The Newsboy Legion consisted of Tommy Tompkins (the leader); Big Words (the team genius); Gabby (an excitable kid who never stopped talking); and Scrapper (the tough guy).

When Project: CADMUS became property of Lex Luthor, The (new) Legionnaires were the said to be the (identical) sons of the originals, who were now working at a government genetics project. A new addition to the team was Walter "Flipper Dipper" Johnson Jr., an African-American. He was obsessed with and very capable of underwater maneuvers. He was also the son of another member of the Project, Dr. Jana Dublix. His nickname was later shortened to "Flip".

The original Legion never had identical sons. It was eventually discovered that the (new) Newsboy Legion were clones, created by the same technology that recreated the Guardian, as part of a Luthor plot gone (horribly) right. Like the Guardian clone, they shared their "fathers'" memories, at least up to their current age, meaning that they were sometimes unfamiliar with the modern world (for example, the new Flip's memories dated from the fifties, rather than the forties.) The clones were always getting into trouble, such as when they hid the existence of a large monster that ate furniture.

The (cloned) Newsboys also used real, respectable names: Big Words was Anthony Rodriguez; Gabby was Johnny Gabrielli and Scrapper was Patrick MacGuire. They were briefly joined by the Guardian's niece "Famous" Bobbi Harper, but she subsequently went to stay with another relative; she would eventually have a son named Roy.

Both versions of the Legion would deal with adversaries such as the insane scientist Dabney Donovan. The Cadmus project entire would deal with attacks and manipulation from Lex Luthor's forces.

Two years before that fateful Independence Day, significant changes in Project Cadmus meant the Newsboys left the Project. It was briefly suggested that the clones were investigating what was really behind these changes, but this was proven false when their dead bodies were dragged out of the Potomac River. Forensics declared a death from "drowning"; obviously the round holes in their skulls had nothing to do with their deaths.

During WWII, the Metropolis Guardian newspaper had a citywide network of volunteer reporters called the "Newsboy Army". Super-anthropologists would eventually discover that the Newsboy Army was one of the first active superhero groups in America during the forties in an area of Metropolis (D.C.) called Nowhere Street. Nowhere Street would eventually burn down, and be replaced with Suicide Slum.

Southside, also known as The Simon Projects, and most notably, Suicide Slum, has been at various times the stomping ground of several superheroes, including the Guardian (who protected the Newsboy Legion) and Black Lightning. The district's real name is Hobb's Bay; Project: CADMUS is in Hobb's bay. Suicide Slum is also the site of The Ace O' Clubs, a bar owned by Superman supporter Bibbo Bibbowski.

Clark Kent wrote a column about 'The Simon Project' for The Daily Planet, early on in his career as Superman. Known as 'Southside' and 'Suicide Slum', the area is believed by many to be beyond help, even Superman's. When a child named Lateesha Johnson witnessed a local gang murder a group of local kids who were playing basketball for no apparent reason, she became a target. The criminals feared she would tell the police of what she saw.

Clark Kent learned the residents believe Superman doesn't care. As Superman, he targeted every known criminal and destroyed every gun, hoping to also protect Lateesha from the gang members she saw.

However, an unnamed arms dealer, who works for a "Mr. L.," (surprise, surprise) supplies more unregistered guns to the neighborhood's criminals. Lateesha is injured and Clark, not caring that he is risking his secret identity, gets her to help. He feels the overwhelming fear, helplessness and outrage of the citizenry... As Clark Kent his column garners enough attention that Lateesha's family is able to move and more officers are assigned to patrol the Project. Superman himself also steps up his patrolling of the area.

The new (Lex Luthor appointed) project head is Dominic "the Mechanic" Desmond, a former Suicide Slum resident with a reputation for being able to "fix" anything, a car or a country. The new head of genetics is Dr. Serling Roquette, a teenaged genius with a crush on the (cloned) Guardian.

CRANESCRANESCRANES

Once the trio got to CADMUS, Robin and Kid Flash were the first into the fray, leaving Artemis on the street below. Artemis barely has time to stagger to her feet before the two boys are in the building, and almost loses her cool right then and there. _(We're supposed to be a __**team**__ on a mission, guys!) _She has been trained by Huntress; she learned to work in a team-style with both the Arrows. Red Arrow and Green Arrow will _always_ show up when a fight is bigger than a block- sometimes they'll show up just to say "Hi". _-They're both dorks; well-meaning dorks, but dorks-_

There is no time to dwell on the advisability of teaming up with people she just met- they're on a mission now. Artemis aimed a pair of arrows; drew the bowstring taught, then released. The two blue arrows flew through the air, arcing inside the burning room and _thwacking_ into the far wall. They exploded, dousing Kid Flash, Robin, and two scientists who were trapped there – Dr. Rosencrantz, and Dr. Guildenstern- in flame suppressing chemicals.

Robin quickly helped the two scientists to the window, and helped them out; they fell to safety, a pair of white-coated suits bumping onto a red and white canvas cloth bullseye. After Artemis made sure that the scientists were unharmed, she shot another arrow, and ziplined up the building, flipping into the smoky room above her. Her orange and purple tipped hair shines in the light of the mid-afternoon sun. (Dana Tan changes her hair color every week- every six months she washes her hair back to blond. Artemis Crock needs to just be _herself_ sometimes.)

Artemis, who stood in front of the window, was in the exact perfect place to see- _what_? _Something_… _Strange_. _Inhuman_- She dashes forwards, stumbles to a halt in front of closed elevator doors. She stares at them, _There's something weird about that elevator- what though?_

The boys follow her; Robin clears up her confusion. "What is an express elevator doing in a _two_ _story_ _building?_"

Kid Flash is actually the most adventurous of all three of them; he says, with a quiet sort of glee, "Let's find out."


	27. Chapter 26

Artemis, Kid Flash, and Robin had definitely been through this part of CADMUS. Red Arrow was examining the blue arrows embedded into the walls; -_These are fire suppression- hard to use without a line of sight; makes sense to use two- the angle says she was on the street when she shot them. Heavy poundage on that bow of hers…-_

Aqualad was searching for the source of the reported fire; -_This… isn't right. There should be some trail of how this fire started- but no point(s) of origin. It is almost- magical… but there is no magic here…-_

Scarecrow finds an express elevator. "**Guys, you need to see this.**"

Artemis, Kid Flash, and Robin had gotten to CADMUS minutes after the League left for the blocking-out-the-sun mission. Artemis had been carried by Kid Flash to CADMUS.

("Need a ride, Beautiful?"

"You offering, Cowboy?")

Robin rode his motorcycle. (He had to go back to the Batcave for it, but it was worth the trip. Alfred did see him swipe the motorcycle, but only said _"There are times when I, too, disagree with Master Bruce's decisions. And when that happens, there's something I do that never fails to lift my spirits: I disobey him.")_

* * *

Project: Cadmus was originally formed by Dr. Dabney Donovan, before Lionel Luthor bought it from him and turned it into a lucrative genetics lab. Donovan was a mad scientist who was ultimately fired from the Project because he felt there should never be limits in understanding the potential of the genetic code. He tested those limits with some of the cruelest, most inhumane experimentation ever conceived.

Donovan is largely accredited for the non-sapient creations of the Project, referred to as "G-Nomes" (beings which have been cloned and genetically altered to discover supernatural potentials; also giving them a more alien- inhuman- appearance.) G-Nomes can look like anything one could imagine- G-Nomes can do almost anything one could desire, with the proper genetic coding.

After Donovan was removed from CADMUS, the lab was run by the Newsboy Legion (or Newsboy Army.) The Newsboy Legion was a group of orphans, living on the streets of Suicide Slum (in Metropolis, D.C. (which is in Kansas)), so named because they sold newspapers to make a living. They were also frequently in trouble with the law, although local policeman Jim Harper (the original Guardian, great-cousin of Roy Harper) had a soft spot for them. The Newsboy Legion consisted of Tommy Tompkins (the leader); Big Words (the team genius); Gabby (an excitable kid who never stopped talking); and Scrapper (the tough guy).

When Project: CADMUS became property of Lex Luthor, The (new) Legionnaires were the said to be the (identical) sons of the originals, who were now working at a government genetics project. A new addition to the team was Walter "Flipper Dipper" Johnson Jr., an African-American. He was obsessed with and very capable of underwater maneuvers. He was also the son of another member of the Project, Dr. Jana Dublix, and the god-son of renouned geneticist Dr. Mary McGinnis. His nickname was later shortened to "Flip".

The original Legion never had identical sons. It was eventually discovered that the (new) Newsboy Legion were clones, created by the same technology that recreated the Guardian, as part of a Luthor plot gone (horribly) right. Like the Guardian clone, they shared their "fathers'" memories, at least up to their current age, meaning that they were sometimes unfamiliar with the modern world (for example, the new Flip's memories dated from the fifties, rather than the forties.) The clones were always getting into trouble, such as when they hid the existence of a large monster that ate furniture.

The (cloned) Newsboys also used real, respectable names: Big Words was Anthony Rodriguez; Gabby was Johnny Gabrielli and Scrapper was Patrick MacGuire. They were briefly joined by the Guardian's niece "Famous" Bobbi Harper, but she subsequently went to stay with another relative; she would eventually have a son named Roy.

Both versions of the Legion would deal with adversaries such as the insane scientist Dabney Donovan (who was also a clone- but a clone that had always known it was a clone). The Cadmus project entire would deal with attacks and manipulation from Lex Luthor's forces.

* * *

Two years before that fateful Independence Day, significant changes in Project Cadmus meant the Newsboys left the Project. It was briefly suggested that the clones were investigating what was really behind these changes, but this was proven false when their dead bodies were dragged out of the Potomac River. Forensics declared a death from "drowning"; obviously the round holes in their skulls had nothing to do with their deaths.

During WWII, the Metropolis Guardian newspaper had a citywide network of volunteer reporters called the "Newsboy Army". Super-anthropologists would eventually discover that the Newsboy Army was one of the first active superhero groups in America during the forties in an area of Metropolis (D.C.) called Nowhere Street. Nowhere Street would eventually burn down, and be replaced with Suicide Slum.

* * *

Southside, also known as The Simon Projects, and most notably, Suicide Slum, has been at various times the stomping ground of several superheroes, including the Guardian (who protected the Newsboy Legion) and Black Lightning. The district's real name is Hobb's Bay; Project: CADMUS is in Hobb's bay. Suicide Slum is also the site of The Ace O' Clubs, a bar owned by famed Superman supporter Bibbo Bibbowski.

Clark Kent wrote a column about 'The Simon Project' for The Daily Planet, early on in his career as Superman. Known as 'Southside' and 'Suicide Slum', the area is believed by many to be beyond help, even Superman's. When a child, Lateesha Johnson, witnessed a local gang murder a group of local kids who were playing basketball for no apparent reason, she became a target. The criminals feared she would tell the police of what she saw.

Clark Kent learned the residents believed that Superman doesn't care. As Superman, he targeted every known criminal and destroyed every gun, hoping to also protect Lateesha from the gang members she saw.

However, an unnamed arms dealer, who works for a "Mr. L.," (surprise, surprise) supplied more unregistered guns to the neighborhood's criminals. Lateesha was injured and Clark, not caring that he was risking his secret identity, got her to help. He felt the overwhelming fear, helplessness and outrage of the citizenry... As Clark Kent, his column garnered enough attention that Lateesha's family was able to move and more officers were assigned to patrol the Project. Superman himself also steped up his patrolling of the area.

The new (Lex Luthor appointed) project head is Dominic "the Mechanic" Desmond, a former Suicide Slum resident with a reputation for being able to "fix" anything, a car or a country. The new head of genetics is Dr. Serling Roquette, a teenaged genius with a crush on the (cloned) Guardian.

* * *

Once the trio got to CADMUS, Robin and Kid Flash were the first into the fray, leaving Artemis on the street below. Artemis barely has time to stagger to her feet before the two boys are in the building, and almost loses her cool right then and there. (_We're supposed to be a __**team**__ on a mission, guys!_) She has been trained by Huntress; she learned to work in a team-style with both the Arrows. (Red Arrow and Green Arrow will _always_ show up when a fight is bigger than a block- sometimes they'll show up just to say "Hi"._ -They're both dorks; well-meaning dorks, but __**dorks**_-)

There is no time to dwell on the advisability of teaming up with people she just met- they're on a mission now. Artemis aimed a pair of arrows; drew the bowstring taught, then released. The two blue arrows flew through the air, arcing inside the burning room and _thwacking_ into the far wall. They exploded, dousing Kid Flash, Robin, and two scientists who were trapped there – Dr. Rosencrantz, and Dr. Guildenstern- in flame suppressing chemicals.

Robin quickly helped the two scientists to the window, and lifted them out; they fell to safety, a pair of white-coated suits bumping onto a red and white canvas cloth bullseye. After Artemis made sure that the scientists were unharmed, she shot another arrow, and ziplined up the building, flipping into the smoky room above her. Her orange and purple tipped hair shines in the light of the mid-afternoon sun. (Dana Tan changes her hair color every week- every six months she washes her hair back to blond. Artemis Crock needs to just be _herself_ sometimes. Oddly, the Shadows always seem to find her every six months.)


	28. Chapter 27

Artemis, who stood in front of the window, was in the exact perfect place to see- _What? Something… Strange. Inhuman_- She dashes forwards, stumbles to a halt in front of closed elevator doors. She stares at them, _-There's something weird about that elevator- what though?-_

The boys follow her; Robin clears up her confusion. "What is an express elevator doing in a _two story building?_"

Kid Flash is actually the most adventurous of all three of them; he says, with a quiet sort of glee, "Let's find out."

* * *

Scarecrow was examining the dented express elevator doors. Aqualad and Red Arrow quickly came, and stood next to him. "Kid Flash kicked these in- then Artemis and Robin shoved them open." He reached out and grasped a hanging zipline. "This is… Robin's."

The guys are about to slide down the line when the lower floor of the building rumbles. Scarecrow hears his baby brother's signature cackle echoing up the stairs, and runs down them almost faster than Red Arrow and Aqualad can keep pace with.

* * *

The trio were on (sub) level 52 of CADMUS.

("CADMUS's basement is creepier than yours, Rob."

"Dude. Nothing is creepier than my basement."

Artemis just rolled her eyes.)

* * *

They- all three of them- are staring up at a trio of tubes.

The tubes are above them, lit from some unseen source- in each tube, a person rests, almost as if asleep- but people do not sleep standing up.

In the center tube there is a young, sturdy looking black-haired man. He wears a white suit leaving his upper shoulders and head exposed; his hair is cut in a scruffy, short style- he looks like a young tough; on his chest is imprinted a bright red pentagonal shield with a stylized "S" inside- it is the mark of Superman. A trio of G-nomes- small, and gargoyle like on their ledge- sit above him, their horns glowing red.

To the center tube's left, there is another; this one is filled with some strangely viscous liquid; it moves the wrong way to be water- but that is not all that moves within the tube. There is a young red-haired boy, floating in the not-water. He wears a black suit that comes up under his chin; his hair is cut in the bowl style; he bears a stylized yellow marking on his chest- the mark of Batman. Around him swim three pale G-nome fish, each with a pair of long pseudopodi protruding from their heads, gently glowing red at the very tips.

To the center tube's right, there is only one more; it has within it a tall, blonde young woman. She is not wearing a suit- she is wearing a blue skirt-like pair of shorts and a blue halter top that closes in a collar-like manner just above her clavicles. A thick belt separates the two articles of clothing- the buckle is a pair of elongated "W"'s, golden in the light. (Wonder Woman.) A trio of G-nomes sit above her on a ledge, their horns glowing red.

All three are unconscious- all three are behind thick curves of glass, upright and alone.

There is a console in front of all three tubes- it can be assumed that the console connects to the environment inside each tube.

("K-K-KF?"

"Y-yeah?"

"You were right- CADMUS's basement is way creepier than mine."

"T-told you, dude.")

Artemis speaks for the first time in hours- "Robin. Can you get them out of there?"

"Absolutely."

Robin hacks into the console- it is the second time tonight he has done so; the system flips open like a book for him. He begins to read the highlights of the pertinent files out loud; he has to fill the awful, pulsating space with some other noise- if he doesn't, _I'll go crazy..._

"Project: Kr. Codename: Superboy. Currently in week Sixteen of projected Thirty-two. Version Two of Two. Version One is currently in stasis."

"P-project: Galatea. Codename: Wonder Girl. Currently at week Twelve of projected Twenty-four. Version Three of Five. Version One: terminated. Version Two is currently in Stasis. Version Four: terminated. Version Five: terminated…"

"Is that all?"

"No… There's one more. Project: Batman Beyond. Codename: Red Hood. Version One of One. Currently in… year three of projected twenty. O-o-oh god."

Robin has had enough- he turns around and says, quietly- "We're in over our heads. We should call the League now."

Artemis and Kid Flash nod. Kid Flash taps the lightning bolt on his chest, "Kid Flash to Flash, come in. Kid Flash to Flash, come in." He only hears static. Robin has finished inputting the commands for releasing the three in the tubes- pods, they call them pods- pods; he taps into a rarely used network in his communicator- His big brother, Scarecrow's number.

("**I-if yer need anyfink- just ter talk, even- call me; okay baby bird?**")

"Scarecrow- It's Robin. We're at CADMUS Labs, in Metropolis, D.C., Kansas. I'm in over my head here; Artemis and KF are too. Help."

The last thing he remembers seeing before waking in a pod himself is an angry roar, then a large fist rushing towards his face.

* * *

Kid Flash is the most adventuresome superhero one could ever hope to meet. Wallace Mathias West is one of the most fervently scientific people in the world. These two aspects of the same young man usually don't conflict-

Wally watches as the pods begin to open. The liquid in the second pod slowly drains- the piscine G-nomorphs swirl closer to the boy; two quickly wrap around him, their long fins coiling together into a harness shape; the pseudo pods and the long, boney tails wrap together into a strong ropey leash- a living, breathing, child safety-harness. The third piscine G-nome twirls and wriggles- as the last of the fluid drains away, the little boy pushes himself to his knees, and picks up the now bunny rabbit shaped G-nomorph. (Wally isn't sure if the little G-nome is cooing at the boy or not- either way, the scene is ridiculously cute.) The little boy's red hair is golden yellow at the tips- his eyes are the most stunning shade of blue.

His eyes catch on the third pod- the girl stands like a statue, her shoulders squared, body raised tall and filled with tension. As the pod opens, her shoulders relax, droop into a submissive state. She opens her eyes- they glance around curiously, snap towards them. A quick flash of fury crosses her face- then she sees the little boy. Her fury changes to fear; she darts over to the boy, and places herself into a protective stance in front of him. Her blue eyes flash; her long blonde hair shines in the light.

Wally barely has time to react- the center pod has opened, and the black haired young man has dashed forward. Kid Flash _moves-_ he manages to pull Robin away fast enough to keep him from outright dying; not fast enough to save him from a concussive knock out. The battle is over almost before it started- Artemis is electrocuted by the young woman's silvery lasso; Robin is unconscious-

Then Kid Flash crashes into the young man's fist; he awakens in a pod. (His superspeed saved him from a concussion- but he is a little head-achy; it'll be gone when he runs again though, so he doesn't spend too much time worrying about it.) To his right is Robin, carefully trying to pick his overhead handcuffs- to his left, Artemis, her eyes cracked open in a slit. Below them are all three of the pod people; the young woman is balancing the little boy on her hip, her face impassive in the red light- the little boy is asleep- the young man is glaring up at them.

"Hi. I'm Kid Flash- who're all of you?"


	29. Chapter 28

The young man speaks first, his voice an irritated growl, "I am the Superboy- created by CADMUS to replace the Superman should he fall; to destroy him should he turn from the Light."

Artemis interrupts then, her voice raw and subdued, "Superboy- you're honestly saying that Superman follows the Light?"

Superboy nods sharply; Artemis moans with displeasure. _Like my life wasn't dangerous enough…_

The young woman speaks next, her voice an organically mechanical monotone in the pulsating red cavern, "I am the Wonder Girl- created by CADMUS to replace Wonder Woman should she ever fall; to entice her towards the Light. He is the Red Hood- created by CADMUS to replace Batman when he ages; to destroy him, should he overstep his bounds."

Her voice has… softened, talking about Red Hood- she cares about him.

Kid Flash speaks then, his voice soft and inoffensive; _I don't know if this will work- but I have to try_… "Do you- any of you- know _anything_ about the outside world?"

Superboy speaks- he sounds… confused. "I can read; I can write; I know many languages- the G-nomes taught me- all of us- to recognize things from pictures, like the sun, flowers…"

Robin speaks for the first time, his words slightly slurred from the concussion; "But… halve you ever actually _sheen_ them? With your own eyesh? Halve any of you actually sheen the shun?"

Superboy looks more confused. "I… no- none of us have."

"Do you want to?"

Dr. Desmond walks out of a shadowed hallway. "It doesn't matter what they want; They will never leave this place without orders to do so. They have no choice in the matter."

"Weapons, get back in your pods!"- shouted, arrogance pouring out of a slimy man's mouth- and Dr. Desmond sets the pods containing the trio to take their genetic material, download their memories, and destroy the originals when those two processes are complete. He does these things with all the pomp and circumstance of ordering a pizza, or resetting a modem.

* * *

Robin is still trying (failing) to pick his cuffs when- _shreeekkkk-zaaapppp-_ He has been pierced by hypodermic needles; they stab into his costume, go into his skin, muscles, touching bone. They begin to shock him; he screams.

Kid Flash is next; because of his powers, he holds a special enmity for needles within his heart. They stab him anyway; he shrieks, then moans with pain.

Artemis is last. Electricity is arcs out, strikes the exposed flesh through the rips in her costume. She knows that she has never been a very motivational speaker; the situation is dire. She begins to speak; her voice quiet and strained from suppressing her screams, echoing in the red gloom of the underground CADMUS lab.

"To successfully make a shot, you gotta follow and master basic steps. Your stance's the foundation: where you dra-a-aw your strength. Nock the arrow and grip it; realize you are wielding a weapon. Mindset: Focus solely on your g-goal, regardless of your surroundings- Be in the now. Set up and draw; inhale and prepare for what you are about to do. Anchor and hold- There is no going back. Aim: all that remains is you and your target. Release and follow through. Master those and you hit every time."

She paused here, throat sore from suppressed screams; she wasn't entirely sure where she was going with this… thing. Sure, all of that was important- but wait, no, she almost forgot to mention the most important part. (It was something she had learned by being Huntresses sidekick- Huntress is a very lassize-faire mentor; that doesn't mean she lets her sidekick get away with anything. (Murder.) All of Artemis' actions are scrutinized; everything Artemis does must be thought through later, the reasoning discovered. As Huntress had explained it, "Every action has a cause. What's the cause of your actions, Little Huntress?") She continued.

"One last step: f-feedback. Basically...take responsibility for the outcome. For every shot…

I can't tell you, any of you, what to do or who to be, but I can tell you this: at the end of the day, when those Cadmus POG's let you loose, it won't be them taking the blame for whatever actions any of you do. It won't be them killing civilians, or destroying lives; it won't be them "Just following o-orders." It'll be you."

Artemis falters, and gasps with pain; the electric needles have stabbed deeper into her muscles.

"Superboy, Wonder Girl, Red Hood… I believe that all of you deserve a choice about your lives, and about your actions. Do you?"

* * *

She stops speaking then, overcome with pain; Robin is still trying (failing) to pick the cuffs on his wrists despite the searing electricity; Kid Flash has passed out, the needles too much on top of his hunger. (Kid Flash has a serious metabolism- his last snack was an hour ago; too long.)

* * *

Superboy stops; he heard every word she said. More importantly, he ilistened/i. Wonder Girl is carrying a sleeping Red Hood just ahead of Superboy; she looks back at Superboy, and then nods quietly. When Artemis began to speak, the G-nomes connected all three of them- the sleeping Red Hood heard Artemis's words, and understood enough of them to agree; Wonder Girl has been trying to articulate her _wantneedFearbadwrongplacenoo ne'sthereRAGEnomoredon'twanttohurtotherswithoutcaus e _for the parts of her life she can remember. (She knows who- what- she is _not-_ _I am not a weapon! I am a girl!_)

Superboy knocks his G-nome to the ground- Wonder Girl sets hers onto a nearby ledge, and gently detaches Red Hood from the (unsurprisingly docile) bunny rabbit shaped G-nome- she is not able to get the child restraint G-nomes to release him. She sighs quietly, and makes a blank-faced puppy-dog pout at them. They reluctantly let go; Wonder Girl unties the ribbons from around her calves and uses them to tie Red Hood to her body. Red Hood begins to snuggle against her instead; he hasn't woken up at all. (He was barely awake when his pod was drained- he hadn't really been aware of what was going on for the past few hours; the choice came to him as naturally as breathing- Red Hood knows exactly who he is, in the manner of all three year olds- _I am. I want more. Let's go_.)

Then the pod-people go to save the trio.

* * *

The clones rush into the red cavern; Wonder Girl quickly taps at the console one handedly, her other arm wrapped around Red Hood; the electricity stops- the needles retract- the pods open. Superboy stalks forwards, and stops just below the trio, glaring up at them.

"You came back to shave ush?"

"Well, since I don't seem to have heat vision, saving you will have to do."

Wonder Girl smiles and nods; Red Hood makes a snuffling sound- Wonder Girl presses a kiss into his soft red hair; he snuggles back down, slips further into sleep's embrace.

* * *

The five teens and toddler run up long hallways- turning left and right, dodging claws and tails and teeth- Superboy slams his fist into a massive G-troll blocking their way. They eventually make it to an air vent; all the children dive into the narrowly defined space. The G-nomes follow them.

* * *

Robin was not having a good day. It started out pretty freaking sweet; then he got punched in the face and now the world won't stop _swirling_ around, and he felt off balance, and CADMUS's basement is creepier than his- does that mean his basement is only a cave, now?

("I halcked the moshun shenshorsh. Hee."

"Robin…Are you okay?"

"Shuper-Dooper! Although… it would be nishe if the world would shtop shwirling around me. It getsh annoying, yanno?"

"…Crap.")

Artemis has been having a crappy day- although she figured that she would; yesterday was when she realized that her favorite hair color had been discontinued. _No! I loved Acidic Reflexive Greenout!_

Kid Flash's day has been pretty damn good, actually- he just wishes that he had more to eat than a hi-energy bar. _There might be sandwiches back at the Hall…_

* * *

(Superboy's day has been confusing- but his life has been like that for a while now.

Wonder Girl wants to punch stuff.

Red Hood has a stomachache; he has been jostled, jounced, and wobbled for what feels like hours. _Hurts. Feel Icky._)

* * *

The guys get to the bottom of the stairwell, and run out into CADMUS's Atrium; they run into a battlefield. Scarecrow sees a grey humanoid creature rearing back- he sees a girl in blue leaping for the grey thing- the girl isn't going to make it. His brother is cradling something, but he should be imoving, why isn't he moving? 'NO!' (The boys have been working themselves into a state of emotion far beyond worried; they are very near their breaking point- and they have a head cold; alone, these two details would be meaningless- together, they make what happened next… inevitable.)

* * *

Dr. Desmond followed the children up into the Atrium of CADMUS; he snorted at them, smirked, drank a strange, purple brew from within a glass phial- and he _changed._ Where once stood a slimy excuse of a man now stood a hulking grey beastlike humanoid- and it looked angry.

Wonder Girl knows _exactly_ what just happened- her voice echoes in the darkened room; "He drank Project: Blockbuster; Blockbuster was designed to destroy Wonder Woman. Someone come and hold the baby." She sounded so authoritative- Robin wobbles over to her and gently cradles the small red-headed toddler in his arms; Wonder Girl takes the now loose blue ribbons and wraps them around her hands- silken knuckle dusters, wound tight to her fists.

(None of the teens know enough about Wonder Girl to know when she's afraid; they can't read her well enough to discern when she feels outmatched. Scarecrow could have done it, but Scarecrow wasn't there.)

Wonder Girl's fist catches Blockbuster under his chin, a textbook uppercut. She follows that up with a side-kick to the kidney- but it doesn't matter. Blockbuster was designed to fight someone of Wonder Woman's proportionate strength and skill; Wonder Girl, for all her skills, is not enough to stop him. He flings her aside, smashing her into the concrete walls of the Atrium like a doll from the hands of an angry child onto the floor. As Blockbuster is flinging Wonder Girl away, Superboy is rushing up to defend Robin and Red Hood- but it doesn't matter; Superboy doesn't know how to defend something- someone. Blockbuster tears through Superboy's defense like so much wet tissue paper. Blockbuster charges forwards, arm cocked back to deliver a killing blow when-

Scarebeast is not Scarecrow. Scarebeast is not Doc. Scarebeast is not Johnny. Scarebeast is the totality of all the things that made Jonathan Crane- Jonathan Nathaniel Crane Pennyworth- Johnny Crane, himself; Scarebeast is one of the few remnants of his past, villainous, life that remains in him. Scarebeast can only be called forth when the situation is truly dire; Scarebeast is for when the sky is falling down; the dire sword is about to cleave innocent flesh; all the important biology notes that needed to be turned in tomorrow just caught on fire. (She's a little intense, but also quite nice.)

When Jonathan Nathaniel Crane Pennyworth saw Blockbuster about to _hurt his baby brother_, something in him, something that had been hidden for most of his life, roared a challenge. Some bonded part of him, something tied tightly into his flesh and blood and soul stretched wide, and snapped tight; the pressure of this one moment, where he could lose- could lose his only- _that's my baby brother right there!_- The boy's heard screaming as if from far away- felt a strange buzzing sensation in their body- and then the world went strange.

If the teens hadn't been deafened by Scarecrows increasingly agonized scream of primal rage, they would have heard the thousand tiny crackles of bones snapping, the squelch of flesh rearranging, the slurping of spines and spikes and jaws; seen teeth emerging like crocuses from beneath the snow, seen brown fur mold fungally over taut muscles, seen hands turn into claws, the teeth and tongue of a man become the teeth of a beast, the forked tongue of a serpent.

They saw, instead.

If they hadn't been nauseated by the quick time transformation, hadn't been shoving away their own issues- had they been able to look, they would have seen, firsthand, the Scarebeast.

What they saw was a monster- a terrifying, dragon-like monster- smash into Blockbuster. They saw Scarebeast slam Blockbuster into the ground- heard it Roar.

* * *

Massive teeth slid off a thick, grey neck- Scarebeast wanted blood from Blockbuster; the boys wanted the person who would _dare_ hurt their baby brother to **_f-fuckin' die, y-yer rat fink b-barstard!_**

Wonder Girl staggers to her feet- Robin, carrying Red Hood, has wobbled over towards _-No, behind-_ Artemis, who is providing long distance assistance from behind a solid slab of concrete- a bench in daylight hours. Wonder Girl quickly darts into the fray, her pointed foot landing squarely in Blockbusters left eye. Blockbuster screams, low and gravelly in the gloom- Superboy punches him in the kneecap; Blockbuster screams again, and throws Scarebeast off. Scarebeast lands in a crouch, and lets Wonder Girl and Superboy get in a few licks, before rejoining the fight.

Kid Flash was building up speed-pressure in his legs- he has to be careful, or he'll rip his thigh muscles, _again,_ and walk funny for a week or so- and then he slams himself forwards, into what he calls a "Jumping Corkscrew Roundhouse Kick." It connects with a grey chin, and Blockbuster kisses the floor, very hard.

(When he first became Kid Flash, Wally, very briefly, fought his opponents by running very quickly towards them and flinging himself into them like a cannon ball. His friend, Dick, proved just how monumentally istupid/i this approach to crime fighting was by breaking both of Wally's collarbones in three places.

Ten days of semi-nonstop B-C-D kung-fu movies (-and Noir films, but that led to something else entirely-) later, and Wally had a few… _ideas_ about how he should fight as Kid Flash; it helped that he was figuring out how to control his speed with free running- adding kicks like the 540 or Double Leg was not a big deal. The fact that his new approach worked very well was… just a minor detail, really. The fact that it's cool looking was _much_ more important.

His baby cousin, Lia, wants her movies back.)

Kid Flash, Wonder Girl, Superboy, and Scarebeast start to lay a beating on Blockbuster- Artemis shoots one of her nastier concussive arrows- it connects, but it doesn't matter; she's beginning to run out. Then Red Arrow is next to her, alternating his shots with hers- Aqualad is fighting Blockbuster as well; Artemis allows herself to hope. _We might not die today. That would be really nice, actually…_

* * *

Aqualad and Red Arrow have shaken off their confusion- Scarecrow's _always_ been a little weird, but now is not the time to puzzle out this new facet of their friends character- not in the middle of a battlefield, at least; there are more important things to place one's attention on.

Red Arrow dashes over to Artemis and Robin; Aqualad flings himself forwards, into the melee.


	30. Chapter 29

"Who's the kid?" Red Arrow asks, his voice a quiet mutter in the roar of battle.

"Red Arrow, meet Red Hood- He'sh shupposhed to be Batman'sh replashement in a few years. Ishn't he cute?"

"Robin…Are you concussed?"

"That'sh a dishtinct posshibility, yesh…" Robin's voice has been wandering in tone, giving him a distinctly lackadaisical air, very different from his normal mischievous demeanor. His slight weaving from side to side only furthers his intense off-ness. (Robin has been concussed before- Aqualad, Red Arrow, and Scarecrow know the signs of a concussion in him, and know what he can reasonably be expected to do; this is why Red Arrow felt comfortable asking him the question he did.)

"Any ideas on what to do here, or should we just pound it flat?"

"I think bringing the roof down would do it, but it might be hard to clo-ordinate everyone…"

* * *

Artemis perks up at that point, and mumbles into her comm-link, "Hey, Toaster- did you hear what Robin said?"

"You know I always listen to you Babeanape. I'll tell the others." Kid Flash's voice is a smirk in her ear; a ghostly touch down her spine.

* * *

The fight is brutal; it rages across the entire atrium floor, gouging deep craters into the linoleum floors- and then Kid Flash is whirling around all the heroic combatants, relaying the plan to them.

Robin passes Red Hood to Artemis; he darts forwards, into the melee. One of his bird-arangs seems to fly wide; another one seems to be thrown short- then it flashes, and bangs, launching Blockbuster backwards. The others have dashed around placing bombs, and as Blockbuster was being maneuvered into position, they have gathered around Artemis and Red Hood, Robin being grabbed by Kid Flash at the last second before- and then the ceiling fell down, crashing onto Blockbuster like the fist of an angry god.

Scarebeast would have liked to turn Blockbuster into a greasy smear on the ground- but the sky is falling, and their little brother(s) are in danger. Thousands of pounds of shattered concrete slam onto too wide forearms, a monstrous frame bends, bows to the weight of a shattered building, curves to protect the ones below them. She yelps- it _hurts_ to be in this form for so long.

It takes a long moment for the crashing to stop, and Scarebeast almost falters- but then she is being supported by Wonder Girl and Superboy and Aqualad and Kid Flash and Red Arrow and Artemis and Robin- and then the building stops falling. Scarebeast shrugs off the heavy concrete like an overcoat of stone, and then with a sickening crackly pop- a whooshing of bodyparts and skin- Scarecrow is crouched on the heavy slab-bench, panting. His black and grey suit is shredded around his shoulders, hips, and skull; his facemask is only holding on by dint of his own considerable force of will; his goggles are cracked.

Robin's hair is sticking out in every direction; the black parts of his uniform have gathered a fine coating of white drywall dust; there is a rip on the upper left part of his chest.

Artemis' hair is a dusty off white color; her lip is split; there is a massive rip in the bottom of her tunic length hoodie, exposing a dark undershirt to the light of the moon; her quiver is empty- her bow is cracked- her bowstring snapped.

Superboy's suit is ripped at the chest; his knuckles are starting to bruise.

Wonder Girl has a rather spectacular case of bed-head, which is remarkable, considering that she has never slept in a bed in her life.

Aqualad's shirt has a small tear at the armhole; he is almost out of water.

Red Arrow has lost his boots. Somehow.

Red Hood, defying all probabilities, is still asleep; he is completely unharmed.

* * *

"**So… Does someone want to explain why they thought it would be a good idea to go to CADMUS without telling anyone?**" Scarecrow asks this in the most mild tone of voice in existence; Artemis almost forgets how to breathe. The slight quiver in his voice does _nothing_ to ease her fear- she just saw him change into a true monster, and back.

Robin answers. "Evil comesh in many formsh, whether it'sh a genetically altered clone clreated for nefarioush purposhesh, or the inshidioush crleep of apalapalathy in the common man. You musht shtay aware of the dangersh; you clan't let the package hide the pudding! Evil ish jusht plain _bad!_ You don't clotton on to it. You gotta shmack evil in the noshe with the rolled-up newshpaper of goodnessh! Bad dog! Bad dog! No bishcuitsh!" Robin had stood, and was weaving in an unsteady circle as he spoke; his finger randomly pointing up, down, sideways- he narrowly missed jabbing Wally's left eye.

"**…Who concussed my baby brother?**" Scarecrow has calmed down a great deal- punching something seemed to help- but he is very upset that he hadn't noticed his little brother's injury. Before Superboy can gather the courage to answer, the League arrives.

* * *

All the teens would have gotten yelled at, right then and there, for their misconduct, but Wonder Woman put her foot down. "There is a very small, sleeping child present. Although I understand that you wish to reprimand your subordinates, now is not the time, and this is not the place. I humbly suggest that we move this… discussion to the Hall of Justice."

Plastic Man stayed behind, along with a few others from the League; the majority went to the Hall- this was the biggest upset in recent memory, of _course_ everyone wanted to be there. (The Big Three had clones? The Little Three's kids were there too? _They had an entire set of children who corresponded six out of The Big Seven? REALLY?_)

* * *

"So… When's the wedding?"

Roy has to stop himself from punching Green Arrow; his lack of shoes would just give him rug burn on his feet, which is annoying. "What. Do. You. Mean. ?"

"Well… You've made it very clear that you don't care what I think, about you and Kal being together, I mean. So, I want to know- when are you going to, ah, stop living in sin with your boyfriend, and make an honest man out of him? I've decided I want grandkids- what's the wait time on that?" (Three years, or so.)

Roy is quietly, grumpily grateful- Ollie isn't going to grouch at him about going to save his friends collective bacon; they needed to… _talk_ about him and Kaldur anyway.

* * *

Kaldur was having a different conversation with his mentor- his King- Aquaman. "Aqualad, stand down."

"Apologies, my King, but no. Tonight, we forged something powerful. I cannot just abandon my friends, old and new, when they need me." They are both speaking in Atlantean; the fact that almost everyone listening understands Atlantean escapes them completely.

* * *

Artemis is hugging Huntress. Tomorrow, when there is light everywhere, and the soft rushing of the nearby river quiets her mind, when she is in her own bed, under her soft sheets- her own handmade gifted afghan- when the light from the sun is soft on her face, when she can smell flowers from her window box, and bacon from breakfast, and the stench of blood and fear and death and antiseptic and the color red- since when has the color red had a smell; why can't she forget it whywhywhyWHY- and she doesn't shake anymore with fear about what almost (didn't) but almost happened, she will deny that she needs comfort from another person, deny that she loves her mentor as an (older sister) favored aunt; tonight, she will not do that.

Tonight, Artemis (Dana (Artemis)) needs a hug.

* * *

Wonder Girl and Wonder Woman are examining each other with their eyes, using bodies for words.

_Hmmm… You don't seem too bad._

_I could say the same about you._

_Ha. Funny, girl of mine._

* * *

Superboy and Superman are staring at each other. Superboy looks just exactly like Superman, when he was that age- but not. Clark Kent never stands like he's ten feet tall, and can punch out the sky if he were so inclined; Clark Kent does not walk like he's made of steel and diamonds, doesn't glare like he can burn you up with a thought- but Superman does. Superman can do all of that; and Superman, not Clark Kent, but Superman, stands, and moves, and _glares_ just exactly like that when he's afraid.

Superman stares at his clone. Clark Kent smiles a small, hesitant half-smile.

Superboy (who will soon be Conner Kent) smiles back.

* * *

Flash was more upset that his nephew hadn't _called him dammit they already had this conversation-_

Kid Flash is trying to explain about the non-reception in the creepy-CADMUS basement-o-doom, eat a large peanut and banana sandwich, and drink a protein shake at the same time.

They aren't getting very far.

* * *

Robin, Scarecrow, and Red Hood were standing to the far left. Robin was still swaying left to right, and the exposed portions of Scarecrow's skin were starting to bruise. Red Hood was awake; he was blinking owlishly in Scarecrow's arms, his rounded face soft with sleepiness. Batman was glaring at both (all three) of his sons- "-I know I taught you better, Scarecrow."

**"Sir."**

"You should have left a message about where you were going, and who you were with."

**"Sir."**

"Robin. I am especially disappointed with you."

"Shir."

"You _know better_ than to just… go off on your own, with untried teammates."

"Shir."

"…Neither of you have been listening to a word I've said, have you."

**"No sir."**

"No shir." The two young men say this in perfect stereo; nearby, Flash has to stifle a giggle.

Batman sighs. "…How long have you been concussed, Robin?"

"A few hoursh, shir. I mishclalclulated the shpeed of Shuperboy'sh fishtsh."

It was at this point in time that Red Hood's stomach decided that it was mad as hell, and wasn't going to take any more of this shite. Red Hood _urped-_ mucusy, milky pale slime arced through the air, and landed with a soft splash… directly onto Batman. Red Hood himself started to quietly cry; _Don't LIKE throwing up!_

Flash and Kid Flash were quietly laughing at this point- nothing quite like vomit to destroy someones aura of menace. Then Batman, Scarecrow, Robin, and Red Hood turned, and as one person, _glared_ at both Flashes. They both stopped laughing. (They also miss the way Scarecrow gently rubs Red Hood's back, or the slight quirk of amusement in Batman's mouth.)

And that was What Happened That Summer.

(Well, Mostly.)

* * *

Later, much later, after silent disappointment and quiet arguments that went nowhere, half shouted arguments where harsh words are almost exchanged- there is a _reason_ the boys went to the West Coast for college; Johnny knows that it isn't healthy to deny the real reason (He could have gotten just as good an education on the East Coast- better actually-), but Scarecrow is too… _honorable_ to let anything off the hook, not even themselves _**We need to tell them.**__ Shut Up Scarecrow! 'They won't lo- like us anymore, we can't-';_ and then Robin is interrupting the two arguing men.

(Alfred had settled Red Hood –Jason Todd- in Bruce's old nursery. The toddler fell asleep almost as soon as he was laid in his new crib- He had not made any sounds.

Alfred now quietly, unobtrusively, waited for his idiot son to figure out that his grandsons were growing up, and needed some space.

Permafrost was sitting on a divan next to him, watching the proceedings like a particularly exciting tennis match.)

* * *

"It doeshn't matter wethler or not you alalalallow ush to clonflronont evril on our own, Brushe; We will anywanyay. If you didn't thlink we clould halandle it, why bother training ush?"

"… I'll admit you both lived up to my expectations, but those others-"

"**Hah. "T-t-those others-s-s" are my f-f-fuckin' friends, Mr. Wayne.** Our teamwork was not up to your _g-g-gilded_ standards because _y-y-you n-n-never let us o-out_ o-of fuckin' **Gotham**, and y-you sure as _hell_ don't l-l-let anyone e-else in." The boy's voice is quiet, softly angry- the boys almost never loose their temper; they know what they could do, could say. They refuse to be that hateful, vile, lonely person. (Again.)

"He'sh right, Brushe." Dick is quiet, subdued, in the small hours before dawn. He won't be able to sleep for quite a while. (Concussions will fuck your day up.)

"I suppose you two will be doing this again, with or without my consent?" Bruce- Batman- Their _father_- sounds... resigned.

"No shit."  
"Yesh, I will."

"Well. I suppose _something_ can be arranged…"

(Alfred stifled an indecorous snort. It's not like Master Bruce has been setting aside funds to refurbish a certain mountain stronghold, or anything...

Permafrost is under no such compunctions.)


	31. Interlude 2

What might be, if things work out right:

"Okay, so, say you have a choice between two different ice creams. One is very sweet- the other is really, really good looking."

"You mean good tasting?" M'gann asks curiously.

"No, 'cause, see, that would be cheating on the super-sweet ice cream. I mean, you've been gearing yourself up to have just this one flavor for a while; the others just won't cut it. But only one part of you really_enjoys_ the super-sweet ice cream. Then one day, outta nowhere, you see this- I mean, of course your faithful to your super-sweet ice cream, but this new one- and it looks _so good_, so you have a little taste, and now you want more-"

"So… There's a problem?"

"YES! Because the new ice cream only works for half of you; the other half only wants the super-sweet stuff. And, y'know, the super-sweet ice cream is bad for your health, and the good-looking ice cream is unreliable-"

"In Flavor?"

"Y-yeah, of course, But you can't just _ignore_ them both, that would be… wrong."

"We're still talking about ice cream, right?"

"We… never stopped talking about Ice Cream, M'gann…"

"…Nowhere is it written you can't have both flavors, Artemis. I would make sure you have them together at least once- the best kinds of flavors are often mixed. And, anyway, it would be wrong to show more attention to one ice cream than the other. Miscommunication is how feelings get hurt, you know."

"We're still talking about ice cream, Megan."

"I know."

And that was how Miss Martian counseled Artemis in her (ice cream (dating) ICE CREAM) dillema. Artemis (Dana Tan (Artemis Crock)) would eventually pursue a relationship with Red X (Terrence "Terry" McGiniss) and with Icicle Jr. (Cameron Mahkent) - both men would eventually become her husbands. (They got married in Utah- don't judge.) Both men would eventually become friends with each other- and all of their children would become some of the most badass people in the world.


	32. Chapter 31

Fawcett City is an Eastern-Midwest city (sort of), and the home of Justice League member Captain Marvel. Its current name first appeared in 1874, on one of the few surviving maps of the era. The history of cartography of the United States began in the 18th century, after the declared independence of the Thirteen original colonies on July 4, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Later, Marcus Edward Tethys Batson published a map of the US in 1867. The National Program for Topographic Mapping was initiated in 1884 by the United States Geological Survey. The great fire of 1919 decimated the majority of the collected cartographical studies.

Fawcett City's name is derived from the original founder of Fawcett city, Ceallach Fawcett. It is also home to the somewhat minor heroes Bulletman and Bulletgirl, Spy Smasher, Ibis the Invincible, Mister Scarlet, Pinky the Whiz Kid, and Minute-Man.

Features of Fawcett City include radio station WHIZ, which will employ Captain Marvel's teenaged alter ego Billy Batson as an on-air and field reporter. Streets in Fawcett City have been named in honor of citizens who worked towards the betterment of Fawcett; Otto Binder (Binder Boulevard) and Bill Parker (Parker Square) being examples.

Ceallach Fawcett was the youngest of fourteen, and had a bit of an inferiority complex. This meant that she would found _the exact same city_ no fewer than five times, each in a completely different state. The one that stayed Fawcett is, of course, Fawcett. The others are Gotham, Metropolis, Central, and Keystone. Of course, that would lead to it's own set of problems which will be explained soon enough…

The city is distinguished by its old-fashioned look and feel. Despite existing in the modern world, with current technologies and events, Fawcett seems old fashioned, as if stuck in the 1940s or 1950s. This timeless feel is the result of a spell cast over the city in 1955 by Ibis the Invincible. The spell was requested by the wizard Shazam, and was said to have protected Fawcett from the influences of outside evils and slowed the passage of time. For the next forty years within the Earth-16, the city existed as a time-warp of sorts to the 1950s. The spell was shown to be removed in the late 1990's, and Fawcett began to slowly become a more modern city, although most of its Art Deco style buildings and generally old-fashioned values remain intact.

* * *

Once upon a time, there was a wizard named Shazam. The wizard Shazam fought for the side of Good in the great struggle, but found that for all his power and skill, he was unable to make headway in the fight.

One day, Shazam granted a fraction of his power to the one called Teth-Adam; Teth-Adam would fight the fight- and die. The power of Shazam corrupted Teth-Adam, and he committed great Evils with his god-like powers. When Teth-Adam realized what he had done whilst so empowered, he took his own life- The attempt to combine wisdom and power has only rarely been successful and then only for a short while.

Many centuries would pass, and one day, Shazam would find a new person to grant a piece of his power to- a new champion to fight for Good.

That person is William "Billy" Batson- a homeless ten year-old boy.

* * *

In general, homeless children consistently exhibit more health problems than housed poor children. Environmental factors contribute to homeless children's poor health, and homeless children are at high risk for infectious disease. Homeless children are at greater risk for asthma and lead poisoning, often with more severe symptoms than housed children. Poor nutrition also contributes to homeless children's poor health, causing increased rates of stunted growth and anemia. Despite these widespread health problems, homeless children generally lack access to consistent health care, and this lack of care can increase severity of illness.

Billy Batson lives in Fawcett City, at the end of Bleaker Street, near the Old Molasses Factory. He lives in Apartment # 14, on the third floor; He tries not to think about the gaping holes in the floor- _it's really not that bad; I can get more plywood somewhere_. He is a fifth-grader at Grant Ranch (inner-city), and has good grades- not too good, but good enough to be ignored by the teachers, who have bigger problems to deal with than the quiet polite boy who sits in the back of the class. He doesn't disrupt the classroom; he answers when called on. They overlook him easily- he makes it easy for them.

His school day starts at four in the morning- he has just enough time to wash up, find and eat breakfast, and catch the first of three buses, hopefully leaving himself enough time to make the quarter mile walk to school- _take the Blue line to Avery, Red to Binder, Switch to the Number Four, get off at Parker Square and start walking_- and it ends at four in the afternoon, when he is done with his homework.

He can generally find enough to eat- you would be amazed to learn what people throw away. He eats lots of vegetables- _The ones the grocery throws out are usually just ugly, not bad- if I hurry, I can get some of the fruit!_ and very little meat- _It's okay though, I can eat beans and tofu instead, and I can buy vitamins too!_

He has had a cough for a while, _it's just a cold, nothing I can't handle._ (It's pneumonia; he's going to die if he doesn't get real medical attention soon.)

When Billy Batson is not Billy Batson, he's Captain Marvel, Earth's Mightiest Mortal. Captain Marvel is a member of the Justice League; Batman asks Captain Marvel to be a "den-mother" for a little team he's setting up.

"Sure, Batman! I'd love to help!" Hide how sick you are Billy; that cough of yours still hasn't gone away.


	33. Chapter 32

This is an explanation of M'gann M'orzz, who she was made to be, and who she is today:

Children, young children- for the sake of the story, we'll assume that Martian children and Human children are much the same in development, just… _stretched out_ over a longer period of time, say, double the amount or so- rely on their parents for their sense of self. It is difficult to say when, exactly, a "child" develops into a person- though it would be wrong to ever assume that a child is anything other than a person in remarkably powerless situation due to lack of respect, experience, and size.

* * *

_**All the birds of the *air**_

* * *

__

M'gann! Pay attention! There _**will**__ be a test on your ability to-_

* * *

It is true to say that children raise adults- but that is also a mistake, to assume that an innocent child is in any way responsible for the actions of an adult, who, by rights, should know better.

* * *

_**fell a-sighing and a-sobbing,**_

* * *

_-Surely they won't resort to __**bombs**__-_

* * *

Once upon a time, there was a girl who was raised to be a soldier- a spy, to be precise. She was born in a time of war. She grew as the thorn grows- sharp, and small, and, yes, deadly. Still, underneath the thick war-paint, she was still a little girl, if a bit odd; she never really liked playing outside, as her skin held few pigments, and burned easily- she liked to read books and put puzzles together, especially the strangely shaped ones- and she liked to play "Pretend".

Martian Pretend is not Human Pretend. M'gann was very good at Pretend- she never really stopped playing Pretend. Not after her fifth birthday, when the War went into its dénouement, and all of her (friends) _Comrades_… stopped. That was when she stopped being a child; put away her childish things, and _focused _on Pretending. (Put a smile on your face, and close your eyes tight/ Who's to say you're not in Heaven tonight?) When the Greens came for her, the last free White left, they captured her, and took her away in a cage, like she was dangerous. (M'gann M'orzz _is_ dangerous.)

* * *

_**when they heard the bell toll**_

* * *

_-ou really think that will work?'_

'I'm sure it will, M'gann; for your sake, it will have to. Now, it's time young girls were in b-'

* * *

By the age of two, children normally begin to display the fundamental behaviors of empathy by displaying an emotional response that corresponds with another person. Even earlier, at one year of age, infants have some rudiments of empathy, in the sense that they understand that, just like their own actions, other people's actions have goals. Sometimes, toddlers will comfort others or show concern for them at as early an age as two. Also during the second year, toddlers will play games of falsehood or "pretend" in an effort to fool others, and this requires that the child know what others believe before he or she can manipulate those beliefs.

* * *

When the girl was six- which was, in some other world, when she was four, but in this world she was six- she had started the life long journey of discovery; that is to say, she had started to use the word "I", not only in her public thoughts, but in her private thoughts as well. When the Greens came for her, she decided to… Pretend. The Greens knew that she was a "spy", but they were unaware- Refused to acknowledge- what that _means, exactly_ in the context of wartime societies, especially on the "Losing" side.

M'gann is a child soldier- a spy. She was _trained_ to manipulate others, _trained_ to hold her shape for months (years) at a time, to hide her real thoughts under a pleasant façade- but one should never forget that M'gann is a soldier. She has always been a soldier- she was trained as a soldier, to do dark deeds in the moonless night, hide her bloody hands behind her back, wrap bombs in cakes and put poisons in soups and sneak messages in flowers, or patterns, or words- like a poem, or a nursery rhyme- and above all. Above all, she was trained to **Smile.**

And she considers her "childhood", in the household of a Yellow-descendant Green (daughter of the sister of the famous J'onn J'onnz) as time spent as a "Prisoner of War." The face she shows the world is sweet, and shy, and kind, and sad. (This is not a lie- but it is not the whole truth.) The face she only shows herself is sour, and bold, and cruel, and angry. (This, too, is no lie- but not the whole truth.) The face she can't show, even to herself, is small, and scared -_Who am I, to feel this way? I, who have not fought, nor bled, nor died for my people?_

Who am I to pretend this shape? To distort the world around me in this way?

Who _**am**__ I?_-

* * *

_**For poor C'k R'oban.**_

* * *

Red Hood is also a child soldier. He was not raised in a time of war- but he was bred for war. _He was __**bred**__for war._

His emotions run hot, run to extremes found in the berserker. _He was bred for __**war**__._

He is _smart_. Red Hood can read. He can write. He can do advanced Trigonometry. He understands most philosophical discussions. _He was __**bred**__ for __**war**__._

The one thing he can't do is speak. At CADMUS, all conversations (orders) were held via telepathy. He was never spoken to- he never spoke. (It's simple, really- why would you make a weapon that could express an opinion? Swords do not speak; it might have an opinion about the neck it's severing, but will it _express_ that opinion? No.)

_They bred him- took tens of thousands of genetic samples, combined them hundreds of thousands of times, all to make a man who would fight, and bleed, and die for a city (and could be __**controlled**__)- for war._

CADMUS science was able to place within him a wall between his voice and his thoughts- but he has both. He can laugh- though it is a quiet, dried out thing, a soft wheezing cough. (All living beings have opinions- to remove them from the being removes all drive for life. Why should a tool get tired? Why should a tool get hungry? Why should a tool obey orders? It's a tool. It doesn't care.)

He will grow into an angry, driven young man- easily one of the most dangerous in the world.

And he **will** die twice.

Jason Todd always dies twice- in every world that there is a Jason Todd, taken in by a Bruce Wayne- always.

(No one said that he had to literally die, however.)

* * *

_**C'k R'oban was a White Martian philosopher, revolutionary, and artist. KIA during the First Battle of Cave 171, AKA the Kend'raiac Encroachment.**_

*Allusion to White Martians sympathetic to the R'oban Cause

_**I am not letting Joker kill Jay-bird. Not happening. He still has to die though.**_


	34. Chapter 33

Jade Nguyen has a problem. She's eighteen now, but back when she was just barely sixteen, she had wild-monkey sex with a cutie from Star City- which got her pregnant. (_Now where have I heard this story before…_) That's not her problem.

When her babies (fraternal twins) were born, she kept the girl, but let the boy go. It made a certain kind of sense- she is a girl (technically); her daughter looked like her. (_I don't have to tell anyone who the father is… I should be able to keep her safe…_) That's not her problem.

CADMUS Labs have, historically, been run by some of the sneakiest, most conniving bastards who ever lived. A member of the Harper family has always worked for CADMUS- always. (So what if it's been, technically speaking, the same guy for five generations?) That's her problem.

Jade didn't know it then, but the Roy she slept with (the first Roy) had been bred for war- that is to say, his parents had been modified by CADMUS so that they would have an exquisitely well rounded child- one that would be a fantastic soldier. However, as he grew, his own nature asserted itself; Roy (Roy Harper 1) is one of the most peaceful guys in the world.

They wanted a _sword_; so they stole Roy, and made a "copy" and left behind the copied Roy. (Jade had never met this Roy; this Roy was bi, and in a loving relationship.) But that's not really her problem.

Her problem is this: her next target for assassination is _her own three year old son._

When Jade gave away her son, (Who she named Jason- _Somebody in this family should have a choice about who they want to be-_) CADMUS snapped him up almost before the ink on his birth certificate had dried. They took him, a newborn, and gave him to Dubbilex to raise with the other two, and trained him- made him think in tactical ways, gave him ideals that could never be _reached_- and Dubbilex… (Who was a mother, once, so long ago- she doesn't remember her name; Mary, Margot, Mama- maybe her name was Mama- but she remembers her sons- beautiful boys, Terrence and Matthew. She was a scientist- and she was _good_ at what she did- but when she objected to some of the more… morally incorrect experiments, CADMUS made her disappear. Waste not, Want not; they stripped away at what made her, _her_ and made her be something _else_ but she is smarter than they think- and she remembers being a mother. She still is a mother- not a very good mother, because good mothers can _protect_ their children, but she is a mother still.)

Dubbilex knew _exactly_ whose child Project: Red Hood _really_ was. (Dubbilex is a powerful telepath, and mildly precognitive- it wasn't very hard for her to… add a few extra programs into Red Hood's mind. A language or two; some skills he might find useful- nothing drastic, or noticed easily; things he would have had if his mother had raised him- it was easy enough for her to do. Her precognition helped her choose what to give him- and then, when she found out what her _jailors_ superiors had planned for him, she added some _other_ things to his mind; things they didn't know she knew, things that would get her _killed_ if they even suspected that she knew what she knew. She hid those things inside his mind, under layer after layer of not-there-nothing-to-see, go _away_- and then she _got him out of there_ because she was a mother once, so long ago, and she _knew_ what they wanted him for and she is a mother _now_ and she couldn't let them she _couldn't…_

* * *

Dubbilex started the CADMUS fire that day; she had other reasons too- Cassandra, and Conner- her precognition allowed her to know some few little things about people she met, but the future is wibbly-wobbly: it changes at the slightest provocation. Her precognition let her know where she could find people, some little things about her world- nothing big except- if those three stay here, everybody dies. Everybody- the world is consumed by endless war, the sky is burned in eldritch fire- I can't let that happen. I can'tcan'tCAN'T-

So. Dubbilex got them out; CADMUS learned what she knew- she tried as hard as she could, tried with everything she had, but they ripped the knowledge from her bleeding mind; I was a mother once; When you stole my sons from me, those three became **mine**; I refused to allow you to harm them further; I refuse now. I did what I did out of love- I would do it again in a heartbeat. Do what you will with me- they are forever beyond your reach.

They killed her; "lost" the body-

"We have spares. Get rid of it."

"Yes sir.")

* * *

So, now that Dubbilex has done what she's done, Red Hood is in possession of some of the most secret, most fought over information in the world- eventually (if he lives long enough) he will have access to the information Dubbilex hid inside his head. This is a problem for the owners of that information; they would much rather that no one knew that information, much less a hero-brat.

* * *

Jade Nguyen has a problem; it's the kind of problem that will kill her, if given the time. (She's a mother, now; she can't make herself kill her son. Red X will not force her to kill her son- he helped her give birth to her twins, he helped her raise her daughter, he will not force me to kill my only son, he won't-) but Sportsmaster will. Sportsmaster has no such compunctions or reservations- he doesn't know that the target is his grandson, but if he did, he still would go through with his mission- he lost his soul when his wife, Paula, lost her legs.

* * *

Terry McGinnis is (worried) confused. He's been a Shadow for as long as he can remember- he tries not to think about gloomy cold place, barely even remembered if not for the warm _it must have been a sweater, but sweaters don't __**speak**__-_ and he just wishes he could remember what that voice from so long ago had said. His friend, Jade, was _terrified_. She was going to have to choose between herself, and her mission- chances are, she would choose the mission. Jade has made too large of a name for herself to just… vanish like her sister did four years ago, and Shadows don't allow failure. (Or she would commit suicide- He knew who they were going to go kill- he was the midwife at the birth; _She named me fucking __**godfather**__ goddamn it, I don't want to do this, I don't- I can't-_)

(His little brother, Matt, is… not very happy. He's an excellent poisoner, for sure; he always completes his missions, every time, but… He's never liked doing them. Matt is much happier making Terry new tricks- and to be honest, (_which is rare, for a Shadow-_) Terry is much happier when Matt isn't out killing people.)

Terry is also relieved that he's only the inside man on this mission- his job is to get Cheshire and Sportsmaster into position, and be the lookout; nothing more, nothing less. If he can help it (and he can) he's not going to kill his godson. He's not going to be that guy.

* * *

For those who would inquire: Dubbilex was once known as Mary McGinnis. Let that sink in for a moment. I'materriblepersonohgod...


	35. Chapter 34

Wonder Girl-_no, my name is Cassandra,_ Cassandra **loves** Themyscira. She loves the fields along the western shore, and the massive pines near the caldera; she loves the salle, loves the sparkly shine of clean swords, loves the smell of oil soap, the feel of the hard-packed sand beneath her feet when she spars with-_even if you don't like her, her name is Donna_; she loves the sound of the ocean, the color_- the exact and specific color, I don't ever want to forget it, not ever-_ of the sky just after sunrise, reflected off the sea; she loves her new clothing- awkward as she feels in it, it is better than what she wore before- _so much better_.

Above all, she loves Wonder Woman-_no, her name is Diana_. She loves Diana like she loves Themyscira- like they'll vanish if she looks away for too long. She loves Diana with a quiet desperation- follows her like a duckling; mimics her every move. (Hippolyta, Diana's mother, is… unsympathetic.

"Now you know what it's like, daughter of mine."

"…Surely I was-"

"You and your sister were worse. Now, go teach your daughter how to swim."

A soft sigh of acceptance. "Yes, mother.")

Donna doesn't like Cassandra. Oh, sure, she'll pretend for her sister- but something about Cassandra rubs her the wrong way. The worst part is that there is no real reason for her to feel this way. She hopes- hopes to the gods- that it isn't petty jealousy; she should be better than that; she shouldn't be jealous of some half-breed not-even Amazonian girl-child. (She isn't. She swears to the gods, she isn't.) Honestly, the -girl- has been in residence for weeks; she should be _over this_ by now.

Donna just doesn't get it- didn't get why Cassandra was so _weird_; couldn't she see how _boring_ Themyscira is? Surely she had seen many things in Man's World- _Gods, I would __**love**__ to see Man's World at least once, before I'm too old and set in my ways…_- things more _amazing_ and _fantastic_ than the _stupid, boring,__**fields**__,_ and the _ugly, old, __**training ring**__,_ and _Gods, she must think us so…__**Plebian!**_

All these emotions finally came to a head when, in a moment of frustration, Donna broke Cassandra's nose with a well-timed punch.

Around the year 1200 B.C., a small group of female Olympian gods desired to create a nation of warrior women that would help to spread their ideals to the world. Met with disinterest or opposition by most of their male counterparts, the goddesses Hestia, Aphrodite, Demeter, Athena and Artemis convened in the land of the Underworld.

There, in the Cavern of Souls, were kept the spirits of all women who had unjustly died at the hands of a man. The five goddesses combined their powers to grant life to all of the souls - with the exception of three, whom they decided would have special future purposes.

Through their magics, the goddesses formed thousands of super-humanly strong, adult female bodies from the clay bed of a lake in Greece, and imbued them with the spirits from the Well of Souls. The first such creature to emerge from the lake was dubbed Hippolyta by the goddesses, and she was crowned queen of these women, to be henceforth known as Amazons. The second woman to emerge from the lake was called Antiope, and according to the goddesses she was to rule as second in command.

The Amazons were to serve the Olympian gods in proselytical manner, spreading their principles and devotion to a largely barbarian world. They were given a city-state in Greece (the land adjacent to the lake of their birth), and they called it Themyscira. There they thrived for many years before they were attacked by the forces of Hercules, and were saved only through the intervention of the goddesses.

With their home destroyed and prospects for success in their worldly mission dashed, Antiope led a portion of the Amazons away from her sister and the influence of the gods, to travel the world in search of a new purpose. They eventually settled in Ancient Egypt, becoming known as the The Amazons of Bana Migdhall. This contingent would eventually be wiped out when Teth-Adam turned against Shazam; a heart-broken Shazam would eventually reincarnate Antiope in the body of a girl named Mary.

* * *

Most Amazons, however, stayed with Hippolyta. To repay the women for their service, the remaining Amazons were sent far away from their home in Greece to a mystical, paradisiacal island in uncharted oceans. There the Amazons took up a new gods-given purpose - to guard the Earth from a terrible evil buried beneath the island.

For thousands of years the Amazons of Themyscira stayed isolated from humanity, until about 1943, when Diana Trevor, an American airplane pilot, crash-landed off-shore. Diana Trevor became friends with the inhabitants of Themyscira and taught them of the changes in the world beyond their protected shores. Shortly thereafter the demons locked beneath the island almost escaped, but through the bravery and ultimate sacrifice of Trevor, the threat was averted. She was given an Amazon's burial and hailed as one of the greatest of all Amazon warriors.

The gods of Olympus were greatly disturbed by Trevor's entrance through the mystical barriers that guarded Themyscira, and recognized it as a sign of their weakening powers. When Hippolyta soon followed her mounting desire to ask the gods to grant her children, they easily agreed, and took it as an opportunity to create a super-warrior who would champion their causes as the Amazons had originally been intended to. Telling Hippolyta to sculpt a baby out of clay, the gods that created the Amazons brought life to the earthen baby, and the first child of Themyscira was born. She was named Diana, in honor of Trevor, and her soul was one of the last remaining spirits from the Well of Souls. When Diana was four, Hippolyta was commanded to sculpt another child; this one was named Danae; since Diana couldn't actually say Danae when she was four, she called her little sister "Donna"- the nickname stuck. When she grew to adulthood, Princess Diana left Themyscira and became known to the world as Wonder Woman. Princess Danae- Donna- was left behind.

The fight had been going for hours. At first, the trainers on duty had been predisposed to breaking it up when Donna hooked Cassandra's ankle, and almost slammed her into the dirt; Hippolyta, who was passing by, stayed their hands.

("They need to work this out for themselves. Let them."

"…Yes ma'am.")

Cassandra retaliated with a short elbow strike to the ribs; it connected, and drove Donna back- but the follow-up kick to the head was dodged at the last second. Donna shifted her weight from side to side _-Forward-to-side pattern coming up-_ and threw herself behind a punch that started somewhere below her feet; Cassandra had seen it coming, and sidestepped the nasty punch, catching Donna's wrist and tugging her further off-balance. _Oh no you don't-_ Donna threw her foot between Cassandra's knees, and yanked her thigh to her chest, throwing both of them to the ground.

The two girls began to grapple; they both thought, in perfect stereo, _Grappling sucks, but you're __**winning**__-_

Cassandra pinned Donna back-first to the ground; enough is enough. "What's your damage?" Cassandra's low, mellow voice has risen to a near-murderous shriek- Donna has been… less than kind almost since Cassandra came to Themyscira, and right now, right this very second, _I can't take any more of your shit- what in Hades did I do to you?_

Donna screams back "I **_hate_** your attitude!" (Oh, hypocrisy, I know thee well.) Donna's feet catch Cassandra in the sternum- she goes flying backwards; Donna leaps to her feet, rushes forwards to catch Cassandra's stomach with a fist- but no, Cassandra has flipped in mid-air, lifted her arms to guard- so, Donna improvises. Her fist rises through the air, and smashes into Cassandras face; a quiet crunch is heard by both combatants. _Oh, __**that**__ is __**it**__._

(Cassandra has a few nasty triggers- Martian Manhunter was able to remove the worst of them, but two of the triggers are so ingrained in her psyche that even adjusting them would have radical repercussions on her personality. One of those triggers is getting her nose broken.)

Cassandra's face has completely blanked out; the only expression on her face (if it can be called an expression) is the tears of pain dripping from her eyes. _I… probably shouldn't have done that…_

The fight becomes serious now- and finally ends when Donna puts Cassandra into a painful hold; the struggling only twists her arms more. The pain snaps her out of the _fightfightfightfightFIGHT- wha-_ and finally- finally, after weeks of the wrong conclusions, and snark and cutting remarks- finally the two girls are in a place where they can talk to each other.

"Why don't you like me? What did I **_do_**?"

"I told you- I hate the way you… You're just so- _enamored_ with this place, and I've lived here all my _life_ and I can't _stand_ it here; Man's World _must_ be more- more _something_ than here- What do you _see_ in this place? How can _this_ place make you so overjoyed every day when I can't even…"

"…This place is everything I ever wanted when I was growing up. I don't… I've never seen the things in Man's World you seem to think are so _amazing_; until I came here, I had never seen the fields, or the sun, or the sky- never swam in the ocean, nor sparred with another, nor mended a net… The things you find mundane- Donna, until a few weeks ago, I had no idea those things _existed_."

Donna is staring at Cassandra. _Oh. That explains a lot._

"What was all that crap with the dirty looks, then?"

Cassandra looks sheepish. "You kind of started it, and then I wasn't sure how to stop- could we just start over?"

"...Sure. Hello, my name is Donna. I am of Themyscira."

"Hello, my name is Cassandra. I am of Themyscira."

The two girls smile at each other for the first time- and then they realize that they have an audience.

("Must you always be right, Mother?"

"Yes.")


	36. Interlude 3

**Orange Eggnog, or, "Christmas with the YJ team."**

* * *

Eggnog is a sweetened dairy-based beverage traditionally made with milk, possibly cream, sugar, and beaten eggs (which gives it a frothy texture). Brandy, rum, whisky, bourbon, Kahlúa, vodka, or a combination of liquors are often added; and the finished serving should be garnished with a sprinkling of ground cinnamon or nutmeg.

Traditional Eggnog typically consists of milk, sugar, raw eggs, and spices, usually nutmeg. Cream may be included to make a richer and thicker drink, though some modern Eggnog recipes use gelatin. Vanilla is a common flavoring, with grated nutmeg sprinkled on top. Other toppings include whipped cream, meringue, cinnamon, ice cream, and chocolate curls.

Eggnog is a popular drink throughout the United States and Canada, and is usually associated with winter celebrations such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year. Commercial non-alcoholic Eggnog is typically available only in the winter season. Eggnog may be added as a flavoring to food or drinks such as coffee and tea. Eggnog as a custard can also be used as an ice cream base.

Eggnog can be made from familial recipes. With these the cook can tailor the strength of the drink, from rather strong, to only a taste of liquor, to no liquor at all (for children or teetotalers).

* * *

Jonathan Nathaniel Crane Pennyworth doesn't _believe_ in virgin Eggnog. The boys figure that if you're old enough to ask for a cup (or mug or glass or decantment) of Eggnog, you're old enough to… _suffer the consequences_. When Johnny C. makes the Eggnog, there are _definitely_ going to be consequences.

* * *

Robin always knew it was Christmas Eve when his big brother started making "The Orange". The Orange, as made by his brother, was the kind of concoction that he was only allowed to drink once a year (and if he were being honest, he only _wants_ to drink it once a year.)

He's not entirely sure what kinds of booze go into the vibrant swill- his brother mixes that stuff up weeks (months) in advance, and labels it "Holiday Cheer – Highly Flammable"; keeps the oily brown liquid in thick glass jam jars, in the back of his closet. He had snuck a _single_ jar of the grog out of the closet, and drank it... once. (The "Highly Flammable" warning should have tipped him off- but oh well…) When he came to, his brother had cleaned up the vomit, changed him into his pajamas, left him some aspirin and a cup of water, lowered the volume on his alarm clock, and was kind enough to not be _horrifically_ loud at the breakfast table.

The Orange is not quite as- _volatile_- as Holiday Cheer, but it is the kind of drink that will sneak up behind you, knock you over the head, steal your identity, and have a merry old time without you, leaving you to clean up the inevitable mess.

The boys can only really bring themselves to make The Orange once a year- It's not that they don't have Holiday Cheer on hand year round (they do). They make The Orange once a year because it's a "Traditional" Christmas drink. (And they like to mix drinks- If they thought they would be happy doing it, they would become a bartender.) They could make The Orange at Halloween- but they also like to spend time with their family.

The Orange is actually a normal Eggnog with an unholy amount of liquor- sorry, _licker_- added in. It is served in very small demitasse cups, topped with powdered cocoa, powdered nutmeg, powdered sugar, and served with a warm, sweet cookie.

Robin (Dick) ends up helping his older brother separate the eggs- _Whites in this bowl, yolks over there…_and ropes his friend (crush) Wally in as well. Wally drags in Artemis (Dana (Artemis)), who (announces that she "don't like Eggnog all that much, but I'm happy to help make it, I guess."

"Thanks, Magumbo Mama."

"No big deal, Hand-some."

"…Harsh.") ropes in M'gann, Superboy, Zatanna, and Captain Marvel.

(Megan is _ecstatic_ about her first real Earth Christmas; M'gann hopes she can hold Megan's shape-color-density _Why did I choose a form with so much detail? Whyyyy?_)

(Superboy moves his knitting supplies into the kitchen, and sits on the counter.)

(Zatanna is still adjusting to her first Christmas without her father- it won't hit her until New Year's that her father is almost certainly never coming back.)

(Billy Batson hasn't had a real Christmas in a long time- It's hard to hold himself back from the festivities, but he knows that it's important that he does. If they find out- well, it's very unlikely that he'll be able to keep being Captain Marvel.)Roy and a pregnant Kaldur show up around the time the fluffy meringue is being folded into the milk-booze-egg mixture; Kaldur has a slight curve under his ribs, underneath a fuzzy blue checked sweater with little fishies on the hem- Roy's (soft! Not _fuzzy_) red sweater has chevrons across the chest.

The Orange gets made; the cookies come out of the oven (peanut butter, sugar, and "Deadly" Chocolate Chip this year)- and with a minimum of jostling, the Team moves to the living room. The massive flatscreen is tuned to "A Christmas Story", everyone who wants a glass of The Orange and isn't pregnant _sorry, Kaldur_ has one- And then it's Christmas morning.

Robin feels like someone stabbed a railroad spike into his left eye when he wasn't looking. He remembers drinking a third mug of The Orange, and then everything gets woozy. Looking around the living room, the TV mumbling on the wall, it's easy to see that the usual holiday Orange attack happened: Captain Marvel is being used as a pillow by Zatanna; Artemis is sleeping under the coffee table, her left foot stretched under the couch, a strangely twisted sock curling around her leg; Conner is asleep with Wolf, who is wearing a large, patchwork, piecemeal sweater-jacket-thing; Kaldur and Roy commandeered the chair-and-a-half, and are cuddling in it; Wally is curled up with him on the couch, his freckles warm splashes of gingery brown in the soft half-light of day- _He's not interested! MOVE ON! You're over this!_- his brother is… not there?

The smell of the boy's after-Orange extra-special super-deluxe Christmas-Morning-Spectacular Pancakes wafts into the air, along with the soft tinkling of tiny silvery chimes. _I almost remember Permzy stopping by… and then I had that third mug of The Orange- I guess she stayed?_

In fact, she had come by last night- and she had stayed till morning. They might have danced to Christmas themed music from all five cities in the small hours of the night- an eclectic mix of swing, jazz, blues, rock-n-roll, pop, and psychedelic/folk. She might have kissed the boys under some mistletoe while influenced by The Orange; he might have kissed her back. They might have passed out behind the couch together.

She definitely was making breakfast with him, that cold, clear Christmas morning. As the rest of the teens stumbled, staggered, and in Wally's case, weaved (not even Speedsters escape The Orange), into the kitchen, Permafrost (Maureen) couldn't help but feel a tingly sensation in her heart. (And the pit of her stomach, but that was either undigested Orange, or something else entirely.)

And that was Christmas, that year.


	37. Interlude 4

Interlude 4: A Moment of Sweet, Sweet Romance

Roy was running late.

Never mind that he had been frantically trying to get some time away from his job; he was running late.

Never mind that he'd been planning this night out more ferociously than any of his forays into the world of superheroic endeavor; _he was running late._

(And Kaldur had- _changed_ a few weeks ago; he's still _Kaldur_ just… female. And horny. (And scary hormonal.))

_I'm so late, there won't be enough __**time**__, fuckfuckfuckityfuckshitdamnf uckfuckFUCK-_

And then- he's there. Roy looks around, sees no evidence of his love- or his roommate, but no, Johnny had told them that he would be in Gotham for a while; something about "not being a coward" or something.

Roy had _prepared_ for this day, okay; he had gotten _flowers_ and planned a _dinner_ for Kaldur and bought the_expensive_ kind of sushi- and if he hurries, right, he can maybe set up everything for his big momen-

Roy walks into the kitchen… and sees Kaldur (beautiful, wonderful, magnificent, amazing-) sitting on a kitchen stool, steadily working his way through the large tray of sushi Roy bought for today; (Wha-) He's staring fixedly at a small, turquoise blue egg timer on the counter. A row of four little pink boxes sat near the timer; (Oh…) Kaldur's leg bounced to some fast internal rhythm. The timer went off; brown, webbed hands shot out, and stopped short of each little box.

Roy walks forwards, his steps loud in the quiet kitchen. "I'll look."

Kaldur almost levitates, trying to turn around to see Roy walking into the open kitchen, warm afternoon light burnishing his sharply cut red hair a shade of warm bronze; Kaldur can feel his heart trying to beat itself to death inside his ribcage- he can feel a small, strange fluttering lower down, beneath his stomach. (_The fear I feel is irrational- OHGOD WHAT IF HE DOESN'T WANT ME ANYMORE, WHAT IF HE CHANGES HIS MIND ABOUT HAVING CHILDREN WITH ME, AHGAHD WAT IF HE DUN LUV ME NO MOAR AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA- f-f-f-fucking __**hormones**__- WAT IF HE DON WANT ME NO MORE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-_)

Some of his inner turmoil shows on his face; they've been going through this same hormonal song and dance for weeks; Roy knows what to do by now. "Hormones being weird?"

Kaldur starts to cry. "… Mmhmmm." Sniff.

"Come here." Roy wraps a strong arm around Kaldur's shoulders, and reaches with his other hand to look at the four little boxes. Each one shows a pair of red lines- Test Positive.

Roy sighs. "I had hoped I would have been brave enough to do this before I knocked you up, but… here." Roy's had reaches out, opens a drawer- _What? None of us keep anything in that drawer, it's too small-_ and pulls out a wide, flat, red velvet box.

"I would have gotten you a ring, but this seemed more appropriate..."

It is a broad Atlantean collar- the traditional gift to confer betrothal. All such collars are handmade; this one is no exception. It is mainly in soft shades of blue- thousands of little beads strung in curves, loops, and spirals- all for the sea _the colors for where in the sea I am from_; at the edges- _green and white, the colors of Shayeris; red and blue, the colors of my family…_; where his jugular is, the symbol of the betrothed- _Red and Yellow chevrons in a column, pointing up…_; the traditional gaps for his gills-_Oh, __**Roy…**_.

"…H-how long did it t-take y-you to make this?" Kaldur is crying harder, now.

"I've been working on it since April, after you introduced me to your mother."

Roy's hands have gently lifted the ceremonial jewelry; he holds it in front of Kaldur, doesn't dare to look him in the eye. His arms are wrapped around Kaldur, his chest pressed against his back. His voice rumbles into Kaldur, deep, warm, hesitant- "Would you like to… t-try it on?" The ceremonial words; Roy really went all out for this one.

"…Y-yes, Roy… I-I-" Kaldur chokes back tears of joy, "I would l-love to." Roy's callused fingers trace up Kaldur's clavicles, gently stroke along his overly-sensitive gills; the minute clasps at the ends of the broad, intricately weaved collar clicking shut at the nape of Kaldur's neck.

Roy presses a kiss into Kaldur's cheek; Kaldur leans back against Roy's warm chest. "Do…Do you want to… f-feel… it?"

"Y-yeah."

A large, callused hand gently presses into a warm almost-curve; a tiny fluttering is felt. There is a kiss- searing, warm, cooling, refreshing; fears and self-doubts and weeks of worry washing away- and when the two break apart, their love has expanded, strengthened, once more.

(Later, they will find a gift-wrapped packet from the boys- inside will be the deed to the mill, the boys' keys, and a note. The note would say only this:

Love is patient, Love is kind,  
It does not envy, it does not boast,  
It is not proud, it is not rude,  
It is not self-seeking,  
It is not easily angered,  
It keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil,  
but rejoices with the truth.

Love always protects, always trusts,  
always hopes, always perseveres.

Love bears all things, believes all things,  
hopes all things, endures all things.  
Love never ends.

Lover never fails.

(Corinthians 13:4-8)

All my best wishes, you guys.

Johnny)

* * *

**Damn you, hormones.**


	38. Chapter 35

Jade Nguyen has a problem. She's eighteen now, but back when she was just barely sixteen, she had wild-monkey sex with a cutie from Star City- which got her pregnant. (_Now where have I heard this story before…_) That's not her problem.

When her babies (fraternal twins) were born, she kept the girl, but let the boy go. It made a certain kind of sense- she is a girl (technically); her daughter looked like her. (_I don't have to tell anyone who the father is… I should be able to keep her safe…_) That's not her problem.

CADMUS Labs have, historically, been run by some of the sneakiest, most conniving bastards who ever lived. A member of the Harper family has always worked for CADMUS- always. (So what if it's been, technically speaking, the same guy for five generations?) That's her problem.

Jade didn't know it then, but the Roy she slept with (the first Roy) had been bred for war- that is to say, his parents had been modified by CADMUS so that they would have an exquisitely well rounded child- one that would be a fantastic soldier. However, as he grew, his own nature asserted itself; Roy (Roy Harper 1) is one of the most peaceful guys in the world.

They wanted a _sword_; so they stole Roy, and made a "copy" and left behind the copied Roy. (Jade had never met this Roy; this Roy was bi, and in a loving relationship.) But that's not really her problem.

Her problem is this: her next target for assassination is _her own three year old son._

When Jade gave away her son, (Who she named Jason- _Somebody in this family should have a choice about who they want to be-_) CADMUS snapped him up almost before the ink on his birth certificate had dried. They took him, a newborn, and gave him to Dubbilex to raise with the other two, and trained him- made him think in tactical ways, gave him ideals that could never be _reached_- and Dubbilex… (Who was a mother, once, so long ago- she doesn't remember her name; Mary, Margot, Mama- maybe her name was Mama- but she remembers her sons- beautiful boys, Terrence and Matthew. She was a scientist- and she was _good_ at what she did- but when she objected to some of the more… morally incorrect experiments, CADMUS made her disappear. Waste not, Want not; they stripped away at what made her, _her_ and made her be something _else_ but she is smarter than they think- and she remembers being a mother. She still is a mother- not a very good mother, because good mothers can _protect_ their children, but she is a mother still.)

Dubbilex knew _exactly_ whose child Project: Red Hood _really_ was. (Dubbilex is a powerful telepath, and mildly precognitive- it wasn't very hard for her to… add a few extra programs into Red Hood's mind. A language or two; some skills he might find useful- nothing drastic, or noticed easily; things he would have had if his mother had raised him- it was easy enough for her to do. Her precognition helped her choose what to give him- and then, when she found out what her _jailors_ superiors had planned for him, she added some _other_ things to his mind; things they didn't know she knew, things that would get her _killed_ if they even suspected that she knew what she knew. She hid those things inside his mind, under layer after layer of not-there-nothing-to-see, go _away_- and then she _got him out of there_ because she was a mother once, so long ago, and she _knew_ what they wanted him for and she is a mother _now_ and she couldn't let them she _couldn't…_

* * *

Dubbilex started the CADMUS fire that day; she had other reasons too- Cassandra, and Conner- her precognition allowed her to know some few little things about people she met, but the future is wibbly-wobbly: it changes at the slightest provocation. Her precognition let her know where she could find people, some little things about her world- nothing big except- if those three stay here, everybody dies. Everybody- the world is consumed by endless war, the sky is burned in eldritch fire- I can't let that happen. I can'tcan'tCAN'T-

So. Dubbilex got them out; CADMUS learned what she knew- she tried as hard as she could, tried with everything she had, but they ripped the knowledge from her bleeding mind; I was a mother once; When you stole my sons from me, those three became **mine**; I refused to allow you to harm them further; I refuse now. I did what I did out of love- I would do it again in a heartbeat. Do what you will with me- they are forever beyond your reach.

They killed her; "lost" the body-

"We have spares. Get rid of it."

"Yes sir.")

* * *

So, now that Dubbilex has done what she's done, Red Hood is in possession of some of the most secret, most fought over information in the world- eventually (if he lives long enough) he will have access to the information Dubbilex hid inside his head. This is a problem for the owners of that information; they would much rather that no one knew that information, much less a hero-brat.

* * *

Jade Nguyen has a problem; it's the kind of problem that will kill her, if given the time. (She's a mother, now; she can't make herself kill her son. Red X will not force her to kill her son- he helped her give birth to her twins, he helped her raise her daughter, he will not force me to kill my only son, he won't-) but Sportsmaster will. Sportsmaster has no such compunctions or reservations- he doesn't know that the target is his grandson, but if he did, he still would go through with his mission- he lost his soul when his wife, Paula, lost her legs.

* * *

Terry McGinnis is (worried) confused. He's been a Shadow for as long as he can remember- he tries not to think about gloomy cold place, barely even remembered if not for the warm _it must have been a sweater, but sweaters don't __**speak**__-_ and he just wishes he could remember what that voice from so long ago had said. His friend, Jade, was _terrified_. She was going to have to choose between herself, and her mission- chances are, she would choose the mission. Jade has made too large of a name for herself to just… vanish like her sister did four years ago, and Shadows don't allow failure. (Or she would commit suicide- He knew who they were going to go kill- he was the midwife at the birth; _She named me fucking __**godfather**__ goddamn it, I don't want to do this, I don't- I can't-_)

(His little brother, Matt, is… not very happy. He's an excellent poisoner, for sure; he always completes his missions, every time, but… He's never liked doing them. Matt is much happier making Terry new tricks- and to be honest, (_which is rare, for a Shadow-_) Terry is much happier when Matt isn't out killing people.)

Terry is also relieved that he's only the inside man on this mission- his job is to get Cheshire and Sportsmaster into position, and be the lookout; nothing more, nothing less. If he can help it (and he can) he's not going to kill his godson. He's not going to be that guy.

* * *

For those who would inquire: Dubbilex was once known as Mary McGinnis. Let that sink in for a moment. I'materriblepersonohgod...


	39. Chapter 36

Wonder Girl-_no, my name is Cassandra,_ Cassandra **loves** Themyscira. She loves the fields along the western shore, and the massive pines near the caldera; she loves the salle, loves the sparkly shine of clean swords, loves the smell of oil soap, the feel of the hard-packed sand beneath her feet when she spars with-_even if you don't like her, her name is Donna_; she loves the sound of the ocean, the color_- the exact and specific color, I don't ever want to forget it, not ever-_ of the sky just after sunrise, reflected off the sea; she loves her new clothing- awkward as she feels in it, it is better than what she wore before- _so much better_.

Above all, she loves Wonder Woman-_no, her name is Diana_. She loves Diana like she loves Themyscira- like they'll vanish if she looks away for too long. She loves Diana with a quiet desperation- follows her like a duckling; mimics her every move. (Hippolyta, Diana's mother, is… unsympathetic.

"Now you know what it's like, daughter of mine."

"…Surely I was-"

"You and your sister were worse. Now, go teach your daughter how to swim."

A soft sigh of acceptance. "Yes, mother.")

Donna doesn't like Cassandra. Oh, sure, she'll pretend for her sister- but something about Cassandra rubs her the wrong way. The worst part is that there is no real reason for her to feel this way. She hopes- hopes to the gods- that it isn't petty jealousy; she should be better than that; she shouldn't be jealous of some half-breed not-even Amazonian girl-child. (She isn't. She swears to the gods, she isn't.) Honestly, the -girl- has been in residence for weeks; she should be _over this_ by now.

Donna just doesn't get it- didn't get why Cassandra was so _weird_; couldn't she see how _boring_ Themyscira is? Surely she had seen many things in Man's World- _Gods, I would __**love**__ to see Man's World at least once, before I'm too old and set in my ways…_- things more _amazing_ and _fantastic_ than the _stupid, boring,__**fields**__,_ and the _ugly, old, __**training ring**__,_ and _Gods, she must think us so…__**Plebian!**_

All these emotions finally came to a head when, in a moment of frustration, Donna broke Cassandra's nose with a well-timed punch.

Around the year 1200 B.C., a small group of female Olympian gods desired to create a nation of warrior women that would help to spread their ideals to the world. Met with disinterest or opposition by most of their male counterparts, the goddesses Hestia, Aphrodite, Demeter, Athena and Artemis convened in the land of the Underworld.

There, in the Cavern of Souls, were kept the spirits of all women who had unjustly died at the hands of a man. The five goddesses combined their powers to grant life to all of the souls - with the exception of three, whom they decided would have special future purposes.

Through their magics, the goddesses formed thousands of super-humanly strong, adult female bodies from the clay bed of a lake in Greece, and imbued them with the spirits from the Well of Souls. The first such creature to emerge from the lake was dubbed Hippolyta by the goddesses, and she was crowned queen of these women, to be henceforth known as Amazons. The second woman to emerge from the lake was called Antiope, and according to the goddesses she was to rule as second in command.

The Amazons were to serve the Olympian gods in proselytical manner, spreading their principles and devotion to a largely barbarian world. They were given a city-state in Greece (the land adjacent to the lake of their birth), and they called it Themyscira. There they thrived for many years before they were attacked by the forces of Hercules, and were saved only through the intervention of the goddesses.

With their home destroyed and prospects for success in their worldly mission dashed, Antiope led a portion of the Amazons away from her sister and the influence of the gods, to travel the world in search of a new purpose. They eventually settled in Ancient Egypt, becoming known as the The Amazons of Bana Migdhall. This contingent would eventually be wiped out when Teth-Adam turned against Shazam; a heart-broken Shazam would eventually reincarnate Antiope in the body of a girl named Mary.

* * *

Most Amazons, however, stayed with Hippolyta. To repay the women for their service, the remaining Amazons were sent far away from their home in Greece to a mystical, paradisiacal island in uncharted oceans. There the Amazons took up a new gods-given purpose - to guard the Earth from a terrible evil buried beneath the island.

For thousands of years the Amazons of Themyscira stayed isolated from humanity, until about 1943, when Diana Trevor, an American airplane pilot, crash-landed off-shore. Diana Trevor became friends with the inhabitants of Themyscira and taught them of the changes in the world beyond their protected shores. Shortly thereafter the demons locked beneath the island almost escaped, but through the bravery and ultimate sacrifice of Trevor, the threat was averted. She was given an Amazon's burial and hailed as one of the greatest of all Amazon warriors.

The gods of Olympus were greatly disturbed by Trevor's entrance through the mystical barriers that guarded Themyscira, and recognized it as a sign of their weakening powers. When Hippolyta soon followed her mounting desire to ask the gods to grant her children, they easily agreed, and took it as an opportunity to create a super-warrior who would champion their causes as the Amazons had originally been intended to. Telling Hippolyta to sculpt a baby out of clay, the gods that created the Amazons brought life to the earthen baby, and the first child of Themyscira was born. She was named Diana, in honor of Trevor, and her soul was one of the last remaining spirits from the Well of Souls. When Diana was four, Hippolyta was commanded to sculpt another child; this one was named Danae; since Diana couldn't actually say Danae when she was four, she called her little sister "Donna"- the nickname stuck. When she grew to adulthood, Princess Diana left Themyscira and became known to the world as Wonder Woman. Princess Danae- Donna- was left behind.

The fight had been going for hours. At first, the trainers on duty had been predisposed to breaking it up when Donna hooked Cassandra's ankle, and almost slammed her into the dirt; Hippolyta, who was passing by, stayed their hands.

("They need to work this out for themselves. Let them."

"…Yes ma'am.")

Cassandra retaliated with a short elbow strike to the ribs; it connected, and drove Donna back- but the follow-up kick to the head was dodged at the last second. Donna shifted her weight from side to side _-Forward-to-side pattern coming up-_ and threw herself behind a punch that started somewhere below her feet; Cassandra had seen it coming, and sidestepped the nasty punch, catching Donna's wrist and tugging her further off-balance. _Oh no you don't-_ Donna threw her foot between Cassandra's knees, and yanked her thigh to her chest, throwing both of them to the ground.

The two girls began to grapple; they both thought, in perfect stereo, _Grappling sucks, but you're __**winning**__-_

Cassandra pinned Donna back-first to the ground; enough is enough. "What's your damage?" Cassandra's low, mellow voice has risen to a near-murderous shriek- Donna has been… less than kind almost since Cassandra came to Themyscira, and right now, right this very second, _I can't take any more of your shit- what in Hades did I do to you?_

Donna screams back "I **_hate_** your attitude!" (Oh, hypocrisy, I know thee well.) Donna's feet catch Cassandra in the sternum- she goes flying backwards; Donna leaps to her feet, rushes forwards to catch Cassandra's stomach with a fist- but no, Cassandra has flipped in mid-air, lifted her arms to guard- so, Donna improvises. Her fist rises through the air, and smashes into Cassandras face; a quiet crunch is heard by both combatants. _Oh, __**that**__ is __**it**__._

(Cassandra has a few nasty triggers- Martian Manhunter was able to remove the worst of them, but two of the triggers are so ingrained in her psyche that even adjusting them would have radical repercussions on her personality. One of those triggers is getting her nose broken.)

Cassandra's face has completely blanked out; the only expression on her face (if it can be called an expression) is the tears of pain dripping from her eyes. _I… probably shouldn't have done that…_

The fight becomes serious now- and finally ends when Donna puts Cassandra into a painful hold; the struggling only twists her arms more. The pain snaps her out of the _fightfightfightfightFIGHT- wha-_ and finally- finally, after weeks of the wrong conclusions, and snark and cutting remarks- finally the two girls are in a place where they can talk to each other.

"Why don't you like me? What did I **_do_**?"

"I told you- I hate the way you… You're just so- _enamored_ with this place, and I've lived here all my _life_ and I can't _stand_ it here; Man's World _must_ be more- more _something_ than here- What do you _see_ in this place? How can _this_ place make you so overjoyed every day when I can't even…"

"…This place is everything I ever wanted when I was growing up. I don't… I've never seen the things in Man's World you seem to think are so _amazing_; until I came here, I had never seen the fields, or the sun, or the sky- never swam in the ocean, nor sparred with another, nor mended a net… The things you find mundane- Donna, until a few weeks ago, I had no idea those things _existed_."

Donna is staring at Cassandra. _Oh. That explains a lot._

"What was all that crap with the dirty looks, then?"

Cassandra looks sheepish. "You kind of started it, and then I wasn't sure how to stop- could we just start over?"

"...Sure. Hello, my name is Donna. I am of Themyscira."

"Hello, my name is Cassandra. I am of Themyscira."

The two girls smile at each other for the first time- and then they realize that they have an audience.

("Must you always be right, Mother?"

"Yes.")


	40. Chapter 37

The boys were back in Gotham, after giving the two love-birds a house- it wasn't very hard to transfer from SU to Gotham Tech, (well, it wasn't _impossible_), and they had… _business_ to attend to. Besides, it's been a long few months since his shadow has been seen in the Narrows- _**Settle down, Narrows. Daddy's back.**__Shut the fuck up, Scare-creep. __**Make me, Dork!**__ 'If you both don't shut the fuckin' hell up, I'll come in there and make you.' Sorry, Johnny. __**Sorry, Johnny.**_

In another world, Jonathan Crane was a coward. It's completely understandable- he was bullied for most of his life; whenever he tried to _do_ anything, he was always (forcefully) shut down. In this world, Johnny Crane is still a coward, but he's also admitted that he's a coward- and he's trying to do something about it. Meaning, he's going to at least _try_ to have a healthy relationship with Bruce Mr. Wayne, and do something about the crush he's had since he was fourteen. (He still doesn't know what that something is, exactly, but he does know that he'll have to _actually be in Gotham_ for anything to work. Skype doesn't like him very much, yanno?)

Of course, it being Gotham, nothing really goes his way.

* * *

The boys pack their things up in Platinum Flatts- they didn't actually bring all that much with them from Gotham, only the essentials; it only takes four banker's boxes and a duffel-bag to be completely moved out. A quick jaunt to the nearby Zeta-tube keyed for Gotham, and he's back home. His boxes take no more than fifteen minutes to carry up the back stairs of the manor; the duffel gets sorted into dirty laundry piles, and then he's back in _his_ room, lying on _his_ bed- and he has no idea what he's going to do next. It's eleven-thirty which is early, for Gotham's hero set-_Let's go patrolling, then._

__He soon discovers the real reason Gothamites hate Star City- _'We were only gone for five months, how can I not know where anything is?' __**Sounds like a personal problem.**__ Shut up, 'Crow._ Gotham and Star City are almost exact reversed replicas of each other; it's that _almost_ that's giving the boys trouble. They've lived for the past five months in a city where they got lost almost every day- and that's not counting inside the grocery store. (Oh yes, when the architects of the two city's decided to feud, they didn't pull _any_ punches.) Now that they're back home, they can't even walk down the street without getting turned around. (Of course, that might have something to do with the magic that Ceallach Fawcett used in the founding of the city- all the inhabitants of the cities Ceallach founded have… _issues_ with each other, but the magic she used recognizes Starmies as usurpers, and tends to do nasty things to them; the feud between the two cities wouldn't be anywhere near as bad otherwise.)

* * *

The boys are roof-hopping aimlessly- _three muggings, an attempted rape __**he's not going to be doing **__**that**__** any time soon**__ and a robbery foiled- not too shabby-_ and then there is an explosion. The police scanner in his ear was ominously silent- and no sirens sounded out. _Narrows. Has to be._ Crimes in the Narrows almost never get reported- most cops don't care about Upper Gotham, much less Lower Gotham- and the Narrows is the worst part of Lower Gotham.

A howling wind pushes him back- _it's July, the only way the wind could be this cold is if- Permafrost._ He's en route within seconds.

* * *

When he gets there, half a building is destroyed. It's one of the many half abandoned apartments in the Narrows- but that's not what makes him scared- _Permafrost prefers to wear that shade of blue… __**Ohgod-**__'Maureen!'_

The apartment's water-main had broken in the explosion; a half-destroyed wall had collapsed over a thick orb of ice. Scarecrow quickly levered the wall off the ice; inside the small ovoid was a half-naked young woman- Permafrost. Her uniform is shredded- _'What were you __**doing**__, Maureen?'_

_'She's not __**breathing**__ guys-' Johnny, if you panic, we can't help her- __**Less talky, more do-ey; the longer we wait, the more water freezes inside her lungs; the worse the freezing gets-**_

Johnny rips the remains of her face-masking tube scarf off- her goggles are cracked, but that's not important, he needs to get the water out of her lungs and stop her from freezing further _now_. The mask attached to her dress at the neck- her dress is so shredded, it doesn't matter if he rips her cowl off; he can't really make it worse. His hand reaches into his belt- grasps a liquid chemical heater and sucks in a mouthful; he doesn't swallow it- that's not what it's for. _No time for nerves-_ His lips press down into hers; the heater in his mouth lets him touch her without freezing his skin. The heater is one of Doc's specials- it will turn into a fine mist when it comes into contact with anything below 0 degrees Celsius. It's already melting the ice sealing Maureen's mouth shut; warmed her jaw enough for his tongue to tease her lips open. He exhales into her throat- the chemical mixture seeps through her trachea, wisps into her lungs- her chest softens enough for him to attempt resuscitation.

He kneels above her, his knees at her hips; his large hands press down sharply on her small chest; water gushes out of her opened mouth. He breathes into her again, filling her lungs with air- nothing happens for a moment. Then, like a fish out of water, Permafrost thrashes for a moment, vomits up water and smoggy sludge. Her skin changes from its heroic icy pallor to a soft, touchable peachy-cream; her hair warms from snow-frost white to sunny blonde; she is coughing and shivering with adrenaline- and it is at that very moment that the boys realize that they are kneeling above the half-naked form of their crush.

She was wearing a luxuriant blue bra under her dress- _'Oh my dear fuckin' god, it's a La Perla'-_ and the water gushing out of the broken pipes had stuck the thin scraps of blue fabric to her shaking body. As the water sprayed, her pear-shaped frame heaved with exertion; the shredded remains of her dark grey-blue figure-skater's dress slowly sloughed off of her wet body- _**Welcome back to Gotham, Johnny-boy.**__ Shut up, 'Crow._

__The boys are many things- chivalrous is one of them. Almost before their eyes have time to register Maureen's half-naked form, their arms have taken off the armored over tunic _which will be massive on her, but-_ They hold it out to her- and the costume underneath that hooded tunic (reminiscent of Red Arrow's) is one that shows enough skin for their extremely red blush to be visible. (This isn't hard- when the boys blush, it tends to be a full body affair.)

Small blue gloved hands gently tug the tunic away from Scarecrow- his eyes are shut tight behind the reflective yellow lenses of his cowl; a soft rustling can be faintly heard in the night-darkened alley. When the boys open their eyes, Maureen is _'wearing our tunic, oh my sweet dear god, I can't handle all these-' __**Woah!**__She's very, ah, aesthetically pleasing, isn't she?_

She is blushing too- her heart-shaped face has gone bright red in the gloom. The tunic dwarfs her frame- she is five foot six; the boys are six foot ten, with the broad chest of a man- his tunic hangs on Maureen like she is a very small child. The boys are very carefully not looking directly at Maureen, but out of the corner of his eye he can see the soft curve of a clavicle, the sweetly shy expression of embarrassment on her face; if anything, her crush on him has gotten worse, not better- she can't even bring herself to speak at the moment. Sadly, the sentiment is mutual- the boys have to write out a note to even attempt to render her aid.

(Would you like a ride back?) They toss the note in her general direction.

The small scrap of paper hits him in the head- (Yes.)

(Okay. I'll call my bike.)

* * *

He taps a hidden button on his armguard- and a frighteningly souped up motorcycle revs inside the Batcave, roars out into the night. (It's called the Ghoul-ride- Johnny named it when he was fifteen; 'Crow and Doc had no objections. Dick definitely had objections, but soon dropped them when the boys saved him from the Joker with a timely (Dynamic) intervention.

"Not one fuckin' word owt of yer. I've taken enough grief, right, for callin' me fuckin' 'cycle the fuckin' Ghoul-ride. I'm the fuckin' Scarecrow and I can call me fuckin' 'cycle wotever the fuckin' hell I want ter fuckin' call it, right. Do yer fuckin' understand?"

Thankfully, the Joker is not a fool. He nods, quietly, and then says, almost fearfully- "I… assume you'll be wanting him back now?"

"Wot was yer first clue?" The wall of the warehouse is non-existent; it was never built to withstand ten-thousand rpms of force concentrated in a saw-blade mounted where a headlight should be.)

* * *

The Ghoul-ride arrives with a screeching wail; the boys waste no time in hemming and hawing- they lift Maureen up onto the seat in front of them, and then mount up themselves; with a dying-cat's wail, the Ghoul-ride screams off into the night. It is worth noting that the two young people haven't actually _said _anything to each other; the last time they tried talking to each other, it was for an inter-school project for their psychology classes- and neither of them could form coherent sentences on _Skype_, much less in person. (They eventually resorted to sending each other descriptive e-mails, after Johnny broke his nose; somehow, it was less personal writing each other letters over the internet. They passed the course with an A+, and kept up the correspondence.)

* * *

(Funnily enough, there is, in fact, a word for what Maureen and the boys are for each other. That word is "mamihlapinatapai", which translates as: "Two people who are both at a loss as to what to do about the other." This word doesn't necessarily mean something romantic- but in this case, it definitely does. This word is also only in effect when the two people mentioned above are in physical proximity with each other.)


	41. Chapter 38

This part of the story is about Young Justice, and its role in the world of Superheroics:

A covert operation is an operation that is so planned and executed as to conceal the identity of or permit plausible denial by the sponsor. It is intended to create a political effect which can have implications in the military, intelligence or law enforcement arenas. Covert operations aim to fulfill their mission objectives without any parties knowing who sponsored or carried out the operation. It is normally financed by government revenues but in this age of super-empowered individuals and corporations they could become a common tool of power beyond traditional war and diplomacy.

Under United States law, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) must lead covert operations unless the president finds that another agency should do so and properly informs the congress. Normally, the CIA is the US Government agency legally allowed to carry out covert action. The CIA's authority to conduct covert action comes from the National Security Act of 1947. President Ronald Reagan issued Executive Order 12333 titled in 1984. This order defined covert action as "special activities", both political and military, that the US Government could legally deny. The CIA was also designated as the sole authority under the 1991 Intelligence Authorization Act and in Title 50 of the United States Code Section 413(e). The CIA must have a "Presidential Finding" issued by the President of the United States in order to conduct these activities under the Hughes-Ryan amendment to the 1991 Intelligence Authorization Act. These findings are then monitored by the oversight committees in both the US Senate and the House of Representatives.

As a result of this framework, the CIA "receives more oversight from the Congress than any other agency in the federal government". The Special Activities Division (SAD) is a division of the CIA's National Clandestine Service, responsible for Covert Action and "Special Activities". These special activities include covert political influence and paramilitary operations. The division is overseen by the United States Secretary of State.

In a covert operation, the identity of the sponsor is concealed, while in a clandestine operation the operation itself is concealed. Put differently, clandestine means "hidden," while covert means "deniable." The term stealth refers both to a broad set of tactics aimed at providing and preserving the element of surprise and reducing enemy resistance and to a set of technologies (stealth technology) to aid in those tactics. While secrecy and stealthiness are often desired in clandestine and covert operations, the terms secret and stealthy are not used to formally describe types of missions- not with the military.

The Justice League takes great pains to not be the military.

The Justice League is considered its own country. This doesn't come up very often- except when, on occasion, tiny little things happen- like a little war in some backwoods country that is governed by a Supervillian; if the Justice League had a governing body (which officially, it doesn't, but if it did) Batman would be the Head of the Intelligence Division in the Justice League- if such a thing existed in the JL, which it doesn't.

Going on from that thought, if there were a part of the JL devoted to quietly taking care of business- which there isn't, but if there were- there would be a team of… Heroes (and Heroines) dedicated to Quietly Taking Care of Business. They would be led by Batman- if they exist, which they don't- and be given the most politically dangerous missions, missions that, for reasons of diplomacy and stealth, cannot be undertaken by anyone other than the Team- which doesn't exist, so don't get any ideas.

(As for that little dust-up in some country in the Middle East- maybe Qurac, maybe Biyalia- well, getting part of your liver cut out is generally a good deterrent from being overly meddlesome in the affairs of someone else's State. Incidentally, Scarecrow has a price on his head in Biyalia- apparently he managed to royally piss off Queen Bee…)

* * *

The Yeoman Observational Undercover and National Ghost-operators, aka, Y. O. U. N. G. Justice Team is a selection of covertly operational heroes specifically picked for their skills and talents. That would be the official line from Batman, when he was asked about them.

And that would be true.

The Y. O. U. N. G. Justice Team is a collection of greenhorn heroes and grizzled veterans (oddly, most veterans are from the Birds of Prey, not the League), dedicated to Quietly Taking Care of Business- and never letting on that there even _was_ Business to Take Care Of. At the time of its inception, the roster would include:

Captain Marvel- Earth's mightiest mortal; Superboy- a walking weirdness magnet; Kid Flash- Fastest boy alive; Artemis- Hunter of Hunters; Robin- the Boy Wonder; Permafrost- the Snow Queen.

The SIC would be The Scarecrow- Master of Fear, Scourge of the Middle East, Terror of the Triad, etcetera; the Team would be Co-lead by The Wonder Twins- Wonder Girl Red, a volatile heavy and Wonder Girl Blue, an overly-cautious heavy.

The first few months of the team's existence would be turbulent, and their missions would add many teammates, allies, and comrades to the YOUNG Justice team- along with enemies, both powerful and mundane.

Their first mission is notable for one reason: it was where the chain of command was established, certain operational procedures were created, and…

Well, that was the mission where Wayne Manor caught on fire again.


	42. Chapter 39

M'gann doesn't like Earth like she thought she would. Oh, sure, she isn't stared at like on Mars- but Earth is so… Quiet. _There's nothing wrong with quiet, __**it'slikeBeforelikeBeforeLikeBEF ORETHERESNONETHERENOBODY**__ Earth is nicer than Mars, to be honest-__**tooQuietWherearetheyComingfo rmeGoingtotakemetotheStillPl acedon'twannaGototheStillPlace- NO ONE COMES BACK FROM THE STILL PLACE**__ and my Uncle is kind-__**notminenotminenotminenotmine NOTMINENOTMINENOTMINE- TRAITOR! VILLAIN! FEIND!**__- I hope I can make Earth-friends here __They won't like you, M'gann- they didn't want you on Mars, why would they want you on Earth?__ I think- I might have made a mistake…_

* * *

M'gann M'orzz took her first kill when she was 12 Earth-years old; the War ended when she was 16. She's 48, now- she has nightmares about the war, on occasion. She remembers the face of her first kill- he was a few years older than her; not even in his first growth- he didn't, he wouldn't _stop attacking_, and she was just a scout for the militia, and he wouldn't stop _hurting her_, and she's a _scout, just a scout- there are rules- WHY WON'T HE STOP_ and she didn't want to die, she didn't and he wouldn't**stopstopstopstopstopstopSTOP STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOP****_STOP!_**- and his heart just... Stopped. He had a strange look on his face, when he fell _soft thump on the ground, all strain from the body gone and what was his name, everyone who's real has a name, but he didn't so he isn't real, and unreal things don't die and I can't kill unreal things I can't- I can't- Oh Gods-_, and M'gann- M'gann is a soldier now, she's not a little girl anymore, she's a soldier- she's an adult in every way that matters and it's time to put away childish things, and so what if he didn't have a name, he was the _enemy_, and don't think about cousin M'randa who didn't check in (_-Espions don't not check in-_) and how your older sister, her mother, cried for days after- don't think about if he had a mother or not- only real people have families and only real people can be killed and He wasn't Real, because if he was real then that means _I made someones mother cry like R'vaan cried when M'randa didn't check in and- NO! He wasn't Real, he didn't have family, he wasn't__**real**__-_

* * *

M'gann M'orzz isn't ready to be a hero yet.

_-Too many demons dancing in your head-_


	43. Chapter 40

This is the first mission the YOUNG Justice team undertook, and the repercussions it had on the world around them:

* * *

Now:

The first sign things had well and truly gone pear-shaped was when the X-shuriken smashed through the window and exploded into clouds of red smog- the second sign was when the window crashed inwards thirty seconds later, disgorging a trio of assassins.

* * *

Three years ago:

Gotham North School is one of the only K-12 schools in Gotham. It has existed in one form or another since before there was a Gotham; back when the place was called Chika gami, the area that became Gotham North was the place where the children of the local clans came to be educated in aspects of magic, warfare, and inter-clan relations- Gotham has _always_ been a center of trade, despite the very real demon underneath it.

Artemis never really explained to Helena _why_, exactly, she left Gotham. The catalyst was a pamphlet, from the nurses office at Gotham North- she was in because she was bleeding _down there_, which had never happened before, and she had never heard of it happening before and JJ wasn't _there to ask_, not anymore, and Mom wasn't talking again -_She used to play these Vietnamese songs so loudly the neighbors would bang on the ceiling; songs so loud and sad you could hear it from six blocks away; it was wailing in a language I barely understood- She'd play that music whenever __da__**that man**__ upset her which was way too often, and mom wouldn't __**speak**__ for days and days after_- and she was waiting in the nurses office for her panties to dry out, and she would just wear her gym-shorts home, no big deal; she had grabbed a handful of pamphlets from the waiting room so she wouldn't be too bored- and one (just that one) stuck out to her young eyes.

* * *

-_**Neglect**__ is the most common type of abuse. Some research claims children are more likely to be neglected if they're poor because parents are preoccupied with survival – but wealthy families definitely can and do neglect their kids. Neglect occurs when parents or guardians don't provide food, shelter, safety, supervision, clothes, education, attention, or medical treatment – often it's about what they __**don't**__ do, more than it is about what they do._-

* * *

She read the whole thing, stretched it flat and hid it inside her locker, under the false bottom she had made when she was in Study Hall last semester and the school got held hostage by Firefly; _-four hours of nothing to do but wait for the cops, or the Bat-clan, to do something, and you'll never have a better chance, Warthog-_ a quick stop in the Art rooms for some modifications and the only way you could tell that it wasn't the real bottom is if you reached out and touched it; she memorized the **11 Warning Signs of Emotional Abuse:**

_Constant phone calls, text-messages, e-mails, IMs, etc. to "check up on you" (harrassment)._

_Extreme jealousy when you talk to or spend time with other people._

_Name-calling or putting you down, either when you're alone or with other people._

_Their behavior that you have to apologize or make excuses for._

_Statements like, "I can't live without you. If you leave me, I'll kill myself."_

_You feel depressed, anxious, and unhappy in your relationship._

_You're scared to upset or make your partner angry._

_You've seen your partner hurt or talk down to other people._

_You're down on yourself, or even hate yourself, especially when you're together._

_You lie about the bruises or cuts you have._

_You don't spend as much time with your friends, and you feel isolated._

And god help her, but all of that was so _familiar-_

She watched herself- watched her mother- watched _**that man**_- and it was All. There. Every bit of it- even the stuff she wouldn't have expected; she doesn't have friends, but her sister is _gone_, and she hasn't spoken to Matt or Terry in so long- she can't even _remember_ what happy felt like, but whatever it is, what she has right now is **_not_**_ it_, and she's always been scared of da **_that man_**- how long, exactly, has she felt like a worthless reject, because that wasn't always _there_, was it; replace the word "partner" with "father" and…_I've got to get out of here… I think- I think I understand why you left, JJ… I just wish you had taken me with you- but I don't blame you for going… not anymore…_

That was when she started to solidify the idea that she _-need to fucking leave, okay, mom loves you, but she can't __**save**__ you, so you need to save yourself, and JJ isn't coming back for you, so you need to __**leave**__on your own like she did-_ It might have taken three years to work, but god as her witness, _it __**worked**_ and she got enough of a head start to get far enough away for some of her "survival training" to wear off _-I'll never be that __**fucking hungry and cold**__ again, so help me god-_ long enough to get clothing she's comfortable in- stuff that fits her, and disguises her; weapons she can _use_ without hurting herself- weapons she's _good_with- knives, a compound bow with a quiver full of trick arrows, small-scale explosives- none of it fancy, but all things her fa **_that man_** wouldn't let her use; and enough bloody-mindedness to kill off _everyone_ who would _dare_ make her _return_ to that _**fucking**__ place-_

That said, she had never… never _forgotten_ what her sister looked like when she fought; never forgotten her sometimes babysitter/trainer/sparring partner/friend/older brother, Terry, or his little brother (her sometimes playmate) Matt; Nothing on this green Earth would _ever_ allow her to forget what **_that man_** sounds like when he speaks.

* * *

Now:

Sportsmaster says something to the effect of "Let's do this-" and Artemis _flips her shit_. One second timed just right- a blue arrow slices through the air, stabbing itself into Sportsmaster's left eye-

* * *

Thirty Seconds ago:

Artemis, fall back! We are not cleared to engage with hostiles; this is a Guarding mission **only!**

Fuck That Shit! Those are Shadows- I _know_ that one! Shadows only exist to kill people- and who are you trying to kid, Blue? This is mission went FUBAR days ago, and _you __**know**__ it_, so don't you tell me that this is no fucking stupid guarding mission- I am going to engage those hostiles, and just you **try** to stop me, Blue-

**Calm your tits, Artemis. Stay in the servant's hallway, and for the love of all that is holy, DO NOT ENGAGE WITHOUT BACKUP, m'kay? We don't know all of whom we're dealing with- better safe than dead.**

Agreed, 'Crow.

* * *

Now:

On reflection, she hadn't meant to use one of her lock-removal arrows- she had meant to use one of the regular sharp-points, but… Shit Happens. (She refused to think about how- how _meaningless_ the death of_**that man**_ was; she had expected to feel… Joy, or Sorrow, or even Rage- but all that is there is… nothing. Relief, maybe; he's _dead_ now- it's over. You can't relax just yet- but this demon can die now; it's okay to... move on. Maybe- maybe call your mother sometime… maybe.)

The acid inside the arrow was meant to melt through thick, heavy locks; make holes in doors- but it melts through Sportsmaster's grey-matter and skull just as easily. Sploodge slimes out of his mouth and ears- the man is dead.

* * *

(For now. After all, the man is a valuable employee of a group with access to Lazarus Pits- and the fact that the majority of his brain was just disintegrated is… just a bonus really.

Lazarus Pits are composed of a unique unknown chemical blend that bubbles up somewhere within the Earth's crust to the surface at key points on Earth, typically at the junction of ley lines. The substance possesses the ability to rejuvenate the sick and injured, and even resurrect the dead. The pits also decrease the age of the user depending on how long they stay submerged in the pit. If a healthy person goes into the pits, they will be killed in most instances.

Though Lazarus Pits are undeniably powerful and useful, they come with side effects, both of which happen immediately after the user emerges. The user becomes temporarily insane and gains increased strength for a brief period.

Did you know that one of the less- insanity/murder-killy side-effects of the Pits is the whitening of hair?)

* * *

Cheshire doesn't pause for Sportsmaster's demise- the thing that made _**that man**_ her father died long ago; for the first time in close to seven years, the sisters Crock stand before each other on the battle field.

(Red X, standing slightly to one side, feels a sudden moment of deja-vu; _where have I seen hair that blonde before? Not __**that fucker**__, but someone else…_

Triple X ignores all goings on- Alice is directing him from outside; she got the plans for Wayne manor a few days ago- she swiped the ones from 1855 to the present day, made notations about what is there, and what _isn't_ there; planned the best way to get to the target; went through them with him- he needs to go through the door Artemis just came through, it's the fastest way to-)


	44. Chapter 41

Seven Years Ago (thereabouts, if you squint):

Fighting arts in the Malay Archipelago arose out of hunting methods and military training by the region's native inhabitants. The descendants of former headhunters still perform ancient war-dances which are considered the precursor of the freestyle form in silat. While these aborigines retained their tribal way of life, the Indo-Malay diaspora instead based their culture on China and India. By adopting the Indian faiths of Hinduism and Buddhism, their social structure became more organized. Evidence shows that silat was influenced by both Chinese and Indian martial arts. Many of the region's medicinal practices and weapons originated in either India or China, and silat's thigh-slapping actions are reminiscent of Hindu wrestling. The Chinese community also practiced their own localized martial arts known askuntao, which both influenced and borrowed from silat.

Although numerous myths attempt to explain the institutionalization of silat, most of them concern only a specific style. The earliest evidence of silat taught in its present form is found in Sumatra where, according to local legend, a woman based her combat system on the movements of animals that she had seen fighting. Masters still believe that the first styles of silat were created by observing animals, and these styles were probably derived from animal-based Indian martial arts. In the fifth or 6th century, pre-determined sets are said to have been introduced by the Buddhistmonk Bodhidharma who came from India to Southeast Asia via the Sumatra-based kingdom of Srivijaya in Palembang. Through this connection, silat is also used as a method of spiritual training in addition to self-defense.

Silat was eventually used by the defence forces of Langkasuka, Champa, Srivijaya, Beruas, Melaka, Makasar, Aceh, Majapahit,Gangga Negara, Pattani and other kingdoms in Southeast Asia. Except for generals and royalty, Indonesia-Malay warriors wore minimal armor, if any at all. A rattan shield, or a breastplate at most, was the only protective gear available to the average soldier. This may have been one of the reasons why the older styles relied more on agility than they do today. Despite the Hindu caste system which held sway in ancient times, silat was never confined to any particular social class or gender but was practiced by all without restrictions. Even today, it is often taught in families who have inherited cultural traditions such as woodcarving, dance, herbalism or the playing of musical instruments.

* * *

_"Ow!"_

"Again. With feeling."

"M-mom? I- I know that Silat is- is the fight, and the strike and defending yourself- but what is Pencak? Why do I even need it? This is so hard and I can't even-"

"Jade..." A sigh. "Come here, my darling. I will tell you a secret. Pencak is- it is the show. I know you do not like to hear this, but you need to understand; _**there is no Silat without Pencak.**__ It is the flash of the sharpened blade, it is the color of the samping and the cindai, it is, it is the music we dance to- inside our hearts. You remember what I told you, about the music?"_

"You told me… that when I had mastered these skills, I would dance and fight to music only I could hear- that I would become unbeatable, in that moment."

"The only way to hear that music is with Pencak, my darling… Now, try again. This time, hold your leg higher in the kick."

For what it's worth (read: not much), Jade Nguyen _loves_ pencak silat- it's a good way to spend time with mom away from dad, and when she does it right she looks _so pretty_ and mom looks so… _happy_, like she's forgotten about dad, and work, and… life, for just a second. And it's fun, and she's good at it too; she's not so good at the moon lute, but… she likes the sounds.

She's _very_ good at the potions- picking the flowers and the nuts and the seeds, putting them together just so- it all makes her very happy. Although sometimes… sometimes she gets this feeling that the stuff she's learning with the Herbs- it was never meant for what she's doing with it. (There is a reason her children are named Lian and Jason.)

* * *

_"Ooogh- Jade, this is impossible!"_

"No, it isn't. Again."

"…You said to me once- you said that I would be able to hear the music, when I fought."

"What of it?"

"…What if they- What if they hear the music too? Jade- what if- what if I'm… _**not**__ good enough?"_

Jade smiled a small, grim toothed-smile- there was no happiness or love in it; it was the smile of an assassin, not a sister. "Little Sister, if they hear the music too, then you must make your music different from theirs- faster, stronger, more dangerous- if they hear music too, you must find your own rhythm, and make the dance your own. Now- Again. This time- with feeling."

Artemis Crock _hates_ pencak silat- the only one to teach her is her older sister who is _not_ a good teacher, and she _never_ gets it right like Jade wants her to, and neither of them can ever forget about da **_that man_**and she's never good enough and- although the stuff with the scarves is kind of cool, and the jewelry is really pretty and, okay, so she's kinda good at the forms- All right, all right- she loves it, okay? She's not as good at it as her sister, but she loves it; and she can do things with the samping and cindai that her sister can only _dream_ about, and the kerambits are so cool- and… sometimes she can almost hear mom when Jade tells her to do something- which is crazy… Right? (She just wishes that Jade didn't punch her so hard- it freaking hurts!)

* * *

Three Days Ago:

Jason doesn't talk. He seems happy to see Superboy and Wonder Girl Red- but he _doesn't talk,_ and it's freaking Artemis the hell out. Before her trip to the West, one of her many schemes to get money was babysitting- she _knows_ how small children should act and _this isn't it._

_There's something wrong with this child- something horribly, fatally wrong; Scarecrow, Robin and Batman don't know how small children are supposed to be- how would they know? But Agent A seems like he's been around the block a few times- doesn't he get how wrong this is?_

She asks him about it, quietly, on the second day of their mission.

"Ah. Red Hood is… Damaged, I suppose. The troubling thing is that the effects have become so severe, the actual… extent of the damage is unclear."

"The most dangerous thing in the world is a damaged person- they know they can survive."

"A pithy quote, Miss Artemis."

"Yeah. Experience usually is."

* * *

Four Days Ago:

"There have been rumors that Red Hood, who was taken from CADMUS a few weeks ago, possesses knowledge the criminal underground would prefer be buried six feet under. Robin, Scarecrow, and I have verified these rumors; unfortunately, Red Hood is on the League of Shadows Top Hits List. Therefore, YOUNG Justices mission, should you choose to accept it, is to watch over Red Hood, and guard him from harm." Batman's gravelly voice echoed in the cavernous space within Mt. Justice- Scarecrow and Robin stood at his side.

Artemis was the first forwards- "I'm in."

Wonder Girl Red looked at them like they had lost what little mind they had, and sauntered forward- "You_know_ I'm in." Wonder Girl Blue looked apprehensive, but stepped forwards as well- "I'll go."

Superboy nodded in lieu of actually saying anything- he's still working on his "inside voice."

Kid Flash sighed with resignation, and then grinned like a fiend. "I'm game."

Captain Marvel looked at them all quietly, then said in a strange tone of voice- "I'm… unable to leave Fawcett City undefended at this time. I'm sorry."

Permafrost sighed, then spoke, her voice a silvery wind-chime in the gloom. "I'm going to have to sit this one out- Gotham needs someone on the streets at all times. I'm not so sure I would be… _tactically sound _on this mission; I'm pretty sure Bruce Wayne doesn't want an iceberg for a mansion."

(He actually wouldn't mind all that much- Bruce Wayne has sacrificed a lot to be Batman- what's a house among friends?)

* * *

Two Weeks Ago:

"There is… a new name on our… _special_… list of prizes... I am sending the following operatives to… _collect_it... The following operatives… will…. report for orders: Cheshire… Alice… Red X... Triple X… Sportsmaster…"

Five shadows detach themselves from the walls: a tallish woman in a green robe with long sleeves and a short skirt, a sword on her back- her face is covered by a painted mask, black hair jutting out like a mane, sharply white grin maniacal in the half-light; a small child in a sleeveless blue robe with a long skirt, a large pouch-bag in the crook of one arm- her face is covered by a painted mask as well, auburn hair smooth and glowing with health, headphones covering her ears, small rounded spots of pink high on the cheeks of her mask; a large teenage man in a black suit, a bright red x slashed onto his chest- a long tattered cape swirls behind him, his helm a skull with another red x slashed over his right eye; a young man in a black suit, a trio of silvery-grey x's scratched into his chest- a short cape with a moth-eaten appearance, his helm a skull with another trio of silver-grey x's over his brow; a tall, bulky blonde man, no color other than various shades of black-grey and his blue, blue eyes- very obviously a soldier or mercenary, somebody who's life has been reduced to killing people.

"Cheshire… for this mission you will be… Principal." _They know. Those __bas__ shit-licking spit-fuckers __**know**__fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckFUCKFUCK FUCKFU-_

"Red X… for this mission you will be… First Assistant." _Well, shit._

"Alice… this will be your… First mission… You are to offer tactical support… oversee communications… and observe your superiors… _**Do not fail.**_" _This… is going to be a very bad day…_

"Triple X… for this mission you will be… Second Assistant." _Ah… Crap._

"Sportsmaster… this will be your last mission... You are to observe the lower assassins… take note of their skills- perhaps… one might be ready for… _advancement…_ also… you are to lead this mission to a… satisfactory conclusion." _Whoop-de-friggen-do._

"You have three hours to… collect your mission equipment… the objective is… The Head of the one called… Red Hood."

Five Shadows Vanish from the room in the time it takes for the sound of the words "Red Hood" to echo off of the walls.

* * *

Now:

Artemis dropped down underneath Cheshire's arm- _Clothesline- Classic_, and rolled over Red X's sweeping kick. Now she is in between the two assassins- the body in front of the window is still twitching violently; spasms and jerks wrack the body. A horrible grunting sound, like the hull of a boat scraping on the bottom of a canal, comes from his throat. Artemis' bow is next to useless in this situation- but a bluff is not. She draws an arrow from her hip-quiver _-It's more practical to have at my hip; it's much easier to flip and swim with a quiver that has a lid-_, nocks her bow, half draws it; the poundage on her bow will shoot harder than a bullet from a gun. The two assassins can tell how bad it would be to get shot by her from the bulging of her arms and the tension in the bowstring- the sound of dripping grey matter fills the small office space in the mansion. (This entire moment took six seconds.)

It's when the last dying rasp of a very bad man fades away into nothing- that's when Cheshire's fist enters Artemis' personal face-space. She steps to the side, leans back away from Red X's snappy punch; she un-nocks her bow, whirls around- hooks Cheshire's sword by the hilt and yanks. The sword flips around- Artemis' hand finds the hilt of her sister's sword- and suddenly, the fight becomes real. Artemis darts forwards, opens a line of red in Red X's side- she knows her sister prefers contact poisons- and is vindicated when he starts writhing on the ground in very real agony. (Two seconds.)

Now it's just Artemis and Chesire- and seven years ago, the fight would have ended then and there. Drop, spin, kick Cheshire away and drop into another roll, find some distance –Just enough to draw another arrow, because she's taken her sword back- and then a short little snippet of banter, smaller and more vicious than Artemis' mentor would consider apropos for the situation.

"Bet you run out of arrows before I run out of sword."

"Bet you run out of kneecaps before I run out of arrows."

It wasn't like the silly fights you see in the movies, or read in comics. Those fights can last for half the episode, or half the comic- they're often full of witty banter, flashy moves, and impossible moments (like an entire paradigm shift in four little moments inside a fight- that's not how emotional development works.) In contrast, a Real fight lasts approximately three seconds per combatant multiplied by the average of the skill level of the combatants- there were three combatants of equal strength, so the fight should have lasted nine seconds. However, in a superheroic conflict, even the most serious, eleven seconds are added for the purposes of witty banter and exposition. (In this world, unlike in some, the characters believe they are real people; we, the readers know that they are not real- except that they _are_ real and- oh dear, I've gone cross-eyed.)

Five seconds later, and Cheshire was re-evaluating the threat level of her not-so-little sister, Artemis. Apparently, seven years on her own made her grow up fast- she ducked a beheading strike without flinching, threw herself forwards inside her guard; an elbow to the throat and Cheshire was down for the count.

The whole fight took no more than twenty seconds- but for an assassin of Shadow caliber, twenty seconds is more than enough time to sneak in, kill your target, erase your presence, and leave again. _-FUCK IT WAS A DISTRACTION FUCKFUCKFUC-_

**RED!** Red, it was a distraction- there's a poisoner stealth specialist coming your way; be extremely careful. I have to stay here and watch the Shadow's I've K.O.'ed; watch your back.

Acknowledged, Artemis.  
Acknowledged, Artemis.

…Who-

"I wonder if I've been changed in the night? Let me think. Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is 'Who in the world am I?' Ah, that's the great puzzle!"

_FUCK! __**FIVE SHADOWS?! -FUCK!**_

* * *

_-When logic, and proportion, have fallen softly dead_

_and the White Queen is talking backwards, and the Red Queen's off with her head_

_remember what the Doormouse said_

_Feed your head... Feed your head... -_


	45. Chapter 42

In Fawcett City, there is an establishment called House of Secrets; Fawcett City's magical population (which is actually one of the largest in the world) and, hilariously, it's theatrical population know it to be a reputable, _middle class_, mercantile establishment. Billy Batson knows it as a good place to get patching for his cloth items- there are always weirdly sized scraps of just about everything imaginable lying on the ground, and who really notices a little boy cleaning up- sneaking little scraps of whatever into his pockets? The silk had been steadily collected and woven together to create a warm blanket for all weather- as his sweaters became too small and unraveled, he knitted them together into a larger blanket that went on the bed around the third week of September- strips of leather combined with four broomsticks and some cinderblocks made for a wonderful bed- fur padded out his shoes, made his mittens thicker, made his hats warmer- and there were always things to be picked out of the trash: sequined dresses with too many brightly colored dots gone to be resold that got cut and stitched into shirts, velvety pants that had been eaten by moths that were hemmed so that they could fit, many a singular shoe without it's mate (he always found it slightly odd that he could always find flats in his size- but then again, he has small feet, so maybe it isn't so odd- he just wishes they weren't always in neon colors). He thought that the mismatched clothing would make him look girly- but when it was taken in all together he looked nuttier than squirrel poop.

(A thousand praises be sung to the creator of the library; ten thousand praises be sung for the books within.)

Well, he does his thing for a few weeks, and then the owner, Durante "Dudley" Zatara offers him a part time job, after school: "You do what you've been doing for the past few weeks, run the register when I need you to, and you'll get fifteen bucks an hour. So long as your grades are good, a'course."

"…No problem, Mr. Zatara."

"Call me Dudley, kid; Mr. Zatara is my father. And my brother, come to think of it…"

So that was how Billy Batson got a steady income (which he used to get medicines that the library-books said he needed), bought multi-vitamins and probiotics, and met Secret while he was manning the old-fashioned register at House of Secrets one rainy afternoon.

* * *

Secret is actually named William Hayes; he was wearing black track-suit pants and a grey hoodie when Billy met him. He doesn't have a pulse- or another option about what to wear every day.

And he has unfinished business.

Margot Hayes had two children; William, and Greta. William showed great promise in the magical arts- as did Greta. William didn't want to be a powerful magic user; Greta did. Margot got sick, and William swore that he would care for his younger sister until she got better. Margot died; William swore that he would care for his younger sister until she could take care of herself. (He promised- and he is an older brother. He **will **protect his little sister; even from herself.)

* * *

Billy would always remember the day he met Secret- it was raining cats, dogs, small fish, and frogs at the time (small fish and frogs actually happens quite regularly in Fawcett- magic does weird things to weather patterns); and Secret wasn't wet, or picking small icthyians or amphibians out of his long black hair.

A small bell set over the door of House of Secrets rang quietly- Billy looked up from his potions textbook. (Dudley is not visibly powerful magic user, but he can sense it being used. Billy _stinks_ of old, potent, powerful magic; and Dudley, though not obvious about it, trained in Atlantis. There are rules about young magic users he has to follow _or else_; the fact that one as powerful as Billy is still alive without much training beyond meditation and survival is much more remarkable than the fact that he's homeless.) There was a young man, standing in the doorway- tall, broad shouldered, his grey hoodie covering his eyes.

He slowly, hesitantly, walks forwards; his trainers clunk unnaturally on the black painted floor. He stops in front of the register; Billy picks up a bookmark and places it in his textbook. The young man flips back his hood- and grey-blue eyes look out from a hawkish face, drawn pale and tight with worry. Billy looks at him with quiet interest, his forearms crossed at the wrist; there is a smell of lightning in the air.

* * *

"Secret."

"With what?"

"Secret."

"Wouldn't my other half be more-"

"Secret."

"Are you sure? I don't know very much battle magic, you know."

"Secret."

"Why?"

"Secret."

"Okay; if that's what you need, then that's what you need. Let me leave a note for my employer so he doesn't worry, then we'll go stop your sister-"

"Secret."

"Harm. Right."

(That's what the conversation sounded like in material space. This is what the conversation sounded like in real space, which is as different from material space as fine artesian cheddar is from American non-milk cheese product.)

"I need your help."

"With what?"

"My sister, Greta. She's gone mad with power- she was always good at magic, y'know? But she wasn't happy with the way her powers were progressing, and decided to… _speed things up._ She needs to be stopped before she can use the full powers of the Sword of Beowulf- otherwise, there will be no help for her possible."

"Wouldn't my other half be more-"

"No, Captain Marvel would just make her more desperate, more reckless. And, to be honest, if I wanted the help of Captain Marvel, I would have asked him for help. I need the help of _Billy Batson._"

"Are you sure? I don't know very much battle magic, you know."

"If I wanted a battle mage, I would have asked your employers- Shazam or Mr. Zatara. What I need is something both simpler, and more difficult- I need a _witness_. There is a spell my sister performed; without it active, she cannot wield the Sword of Beowulf."

"Why?"

"…The Sword of Beowulf is a weapon created for the pure of heart; when drawn, it amplifies the wielder's magical strength by a factor of eight. The spell she used- for her sake, I must break it; the counter-spell requires a witness who is also pure of heart. You were the first person I could find who would fit the bill; I need... I need a _person_ to go with me, not a hero."

"Okay; if that's what you need, then that's what you need. Let me leave a note for my employer so he doesn't worry, then we'll go stop your sister-"

"Harm. She's calling herself Harm, now."

"Harm. Right."

* * *

They wander all over the city- Billy gets soaked through almost instantly- small fish and frogs smack into his head and shoulders semi-constantly; he almost gets killed by Harm many times; they finally end up across the street from where they started. That's when Billy finds out why exactly Secret needed a witness.

"It has defiled Harm's holy place. It will _**die**_ for its insult."

And that's when Secret steps out onto the material plane. His hooded face stares into Harm's- and she looks… 'turbed. Crazed blue eyes stare into fathomless grey-blue holes; she knows what she did.

Secret saunters forwards, gently shouldering Billy aside; Harm raises the Sword of Beowulf- but her older brother is already dead, and her talents do not lie with matters of the immaterial and timeless. She swings the sword at him anyway- and it passes through him without harming him. The Sword is a weapon of the material world- Secret is a being of the real world. It cannot harm him.

Secret steps forwards, ignoring Harm's increasingly frantic attempts to ward him away with the Sword, then with her magic, and finally with her feet, kicking at something she cannot touch. He moves forwards, implacable, cold- his duty calls to him.

Harm stumbles backwards- and that's when the first twinges of guilt whisper in her heart.

The Sword of Beowulf demands its wielder's heart be pure.

Pins and needles and fire shoot through her hands- the sword clatters to the ground, it's sheath scrabbling over to and around it, single red eye rolling. Secret grips his younger sister's shoulder with his right hand; cups her heart with his left- it is small and warm and scared and fluttering too fast like a bird caught underneath the bookshelf. His fingers reach into her real heart- gently grip and pull and tug away something that never was hers to keep for always; feel for something that should be there but only finds ashes and dust. In the material world, a yellow-grey scarf is being pulled out of Harm's chest- for her, it is pure agony. As Secret removes what was never hers, Harm's crazed expression of external loathing changes, softens to Greta's face; she _hates_ what she has become. As the scarf is removed, she crumples with anguish.

She _knows_ what she did.

Secret takes his hand off of Harm's shoulder, pulls away from her. He holds the scarf in both of his hands- stretches it loose and wide; lifts it high and snaps it down sharp like a sheet to be hung on the line. A cloud of… Dust (as good a word as any) puffs up and off and away into nothing.

The scarf is black now, black and silver and sharpness- very visibly not something that ever belonged to Harm. (Harm is Harm, and Greta is Greta- and Harm is Greta too. Greta wears pastels and fuzzy soft things; so does Harm, because Harm was Greta.) The scarf (which isn't a scarf, but there are no words for what it really is… Essence, perhaps) settles around Secret's neck and throat and underneath his skin like sunbeam cats or the gentle, shy caress of a lover, warm and soft and utterly his.

Harm has fallen to her knees- her body curling in on itself, writhing with the agony of suppressed emotions.

She **_knows_** what she did.

"Secret."

Billy's eyes widen; Harm's eyes close. She slumps down and forwards, boneless, empty- alone.

"I swore to my dying mother that I would protect my little sister, Greta, for as long as she needed to be protected.

My sister is dead; she can never come back. I can't protect her anymore."

Secret steps around the shell of his sister; ignores Harm, moaning on the ground.

She _understands_ what she did.

Secret looks back over his shoulder; jerks his head. Billy starts, nods; stoops down and lifts the Sword of Beowulf onto his back; follows Secret out of the large backyard. He passes the cairn of stones overgrown with flowering vines; the massive oak tree shielding them from the rain; the emotionally overwrought blonde, not much older than him, screaming like she's dying- sobbing into the cold, uncaring, muddy earth. He joins Secret on the sidewalk across from House of Secrets- a small frog lands on the bridge of his nose; it sticks to his face, then leaps away.

"What are you going to do now?"

Secret glances at Billy; winter's grey bore into summer skies- then his eyes soften, and he smiles, tension leaving him for that one perfect moment. Billy feels a sudden rush of joy inside his chest, and smiles back; shy and sweet and gentle and very very young- twelve is a little too young, but Secret was only sixteen himself.

"Secret."

Billy blushes, looks away too fast to be cool- a fish lands on his head, flails around in his hair. Cool fingers touch his scalp- gently disentangle a small silvery minnow from his hair; Secret draws away from Billy, large hands cradling the small fish. He crouches down, presses his hands under the water rushing through the storm drain; the fish swims against the current for a few moments, then allows itself to be swept away. (Fawcett City has some of the most beautiful parks in the state- and some of the most harsh punishments for dumping chemicals in the street. It's a felony within city limits and carries a five year jail sentence- _at minimum._ It is also considered the worst kind of luck to eat any of the creatures that fall from the sky- many a happy marriage has resulted from a young woman or man following their intuition and kissing a frog or toad or fish.)

There is a long moment of silence, where Secret remains crouched down by the stream, and Billy remains frozen in the clutches of a first crush. A small twinge in his shoulder and he remembers the other reason Secret needed his help;

"What should I do with this?"

Secret looks back over his shoulder at Billy; shrugs; "Secret."

"Hmph. You're no help-"

He must have blinked. That's the only reason he can think of for Secret to leave so abruptly. And he still doesn't know what to do with the Sword. He sighs, looks both ways to cross the street, (safety first) and spies an orange and black cat, spying on him. The cat is promptly hit in the head with a vividly colored toad. It yowls, turns, and runs away, dodging the occasional fish.

_That explains that- as for the sword…_

And that was how Dudley Zatara called in a few "favors" from his old school buddies and got the Sword of Beowulf hidden in a garrison's armory somewhere in Atlantis.


	46. Chapter 43

Now:

The thing most people forget about the boys is that they were trained by Batman- everyone remembers that Robin is the closest thing to a ninja they'll ever see outside of Japan, but what most people don't realize is that Scarecrow knew how to move unseen long before he ever went to America- he wasn't just homeless;_he was a runaway, __**and a thief**_. The only thing Batman did was refine what was already there- add a few fighting routines, a little weapons training…

So when Triple X crept into the room where Red Hood was curled up, sleeping, he assumed that the room was empty; he's asleep on a cot inside a _broom cupboard_, there shouldn't be room for anyone else. Of course, he neglects to _look up_… and _to the side_…

A skull with three silvery x's looms over the sleeping form of a small boy- a gaff slowly sneaks around behind him, small hooked blade pressing forwards like a spear.

In fishing, a gaff is a pole with a sharp hook on the end that is used to stab a large fish and then lift the fish into the boat or onto shore; ideally, the hook is placed under the backbone. Gaffs are used when the weight of the fish exceeds the breaking point of the fishing line or the fishing pole. A gaff cannot be used if it is intended to release the fish unharmed after capture, unless the fish is skillfully gaffed in the lip, jaw, or lower gill using a thin gaff hook.

A "flying gaff" is a specialized type of gaff used for securing and controlling very large fish. The hook part of the gaff (the head) detaches when sufficient force is used, somewhat like a harpoon's dart. The head is secured to the boat with a length of heavy rope or cable.

For about two years, the boys grew taller without gaining noticeable muscle mass- enough to carry their own weight, but not enough to be a threat. This is a problem for the teenaged crime fighter- the boys wanted to use a scythe as an equalizing measure but that was a bit too… **extreme**. So they switched to the gaff- but they couldn't subdue people like they wanted to. A compromise was created- a hooked blade where the regular hook should be, a little zipline-gun action in the base of the pole and hey-presto; a weapon that was hard to kill people with, but looked threatening from a distance- and up close, but whatever…

* * *

Triple X's fingers gleam in a mildly iridescent way- then gently glide across Red Hood's face, one finger poking in-between his eyebrows, and two on either side of the top of his forehead.

* * *

Five Days Ago:

Dana Tan is at her job- she works at a little stationery giftstore, just on the west side of Platinum Flatts- quietly restocking the shelves. The owner, Ms. Fyers- "Call me Shado, alright?" looks up from her magazine. She is sitting behind the register, and is in a perfect position to see the little… quirks, that the new customer and her employee share.

The customer is a woman- on the tall side of average, long black hair pulled back in a French twist, oval face; she hasn't lost all the post-baby weight. Dana has seen her through the mirrored back of the shelves- and she looks _pissed_. Shado has always known more than she'll let on about Ms. Tan- and there was an intriguing rumor she heard a few months ago about the two daughters of one of her old colleagues…

She's retired; she's allowed to be an… what was the phrase little Terry used? "Interfering old b-oot?" Yes. Well.

"I am on break Dana- mind the register while I am out." Shado Fyers works very hard not to cackle or smirk at the betrayed expression on her newest employee's face- or the almost-know you expression on the customers face… who looks like a grown up Jade Nguyen, on closer inspection. Which means that Dana Tan is… No wonder she was so familiar. _Ah… a little sisterly bonding will do you good, Artemis._

"…Dana?"

"It's better than Cheese."

Jade smiles- it is a wry, older sisterly smile; Artemis almost smiles back, but Dana is not this woman's sister. Jade catches the abortive facial movement- and her own smile fades.

"Dana… I need your help."

Brown eyes narrow; an orange and pink striped eyebrow raises with intense scrutiny- "What kind of help?"

"...Remember that postcard I sent you? The birth announcement?"

"…Do you need me to take care of my niece?"

"…No… I need your help to save your _nephews_ life."

"What."

"Yeah- I… I lied. On the card. I- I had twins, not just the one girl… I gave him away because you know how- you know what they would have _done_ to him, b-but- and they- they want me to-"

Artemis knows her sister. She knows what makes her tick- she knows what makes her squirm. To actually make her cry… and she isn't faking it. (If she wanted to fake it, she'd be wearing makeup; but she's in a hoodie, no makeup, no weapons except the usual; this is her sister asking for help- and it's actually a very direct question.)

Artemis sighs. She might have cut all formal ties with her family, but-"My shift ends in an hour. Meet me at Wild Thing Café; we can talk there safely, do some catching up. Okay?"

Jade's head nods rapidly; her watery brown-black eyes fill with hope- or tears. (Same difference.)

An hour and fifteen minutes later, and they're at Wild Thing Café, sitting at the same table Dana (Artemi -no. No more running. I am who I am- and right now, my sister needs a hero. My name as a hero is Artemis- my name as her sister is **Artemis**-) sat at, two and a half years ago- Artemis is sixteen now; Jade is twenty. (Dana is eighteen now; Jade is twenty-two.) They sit in the booth; both sisters are drinking jasmine tea, eating crunchy sugar cookies-

_It's been a long time since we played tea-party, J.J._  
_It's been a long time since we played tea-party, Wart._

"So… why exactly is my nephew on the top list?"

"…Remember Terry and Matt's mom?"

"Mrs. McGinnis? Yeah, what about her?"

"Remember how she died?"

"Yeah-"

"She didn't die."

"What."

"Yeah, that's what I said when I found out. You know those creepy squints that used to hang around their house?" Artemis nods. "Apparently, Mrs. McGinnis was one of the top geneticists in the country; those squints got her into some bad stuff without her realizing it. Well, when she objected to what she was doing for them, they made her disappear."

"Oh! So that's when… Okay, but the point-?"

"-Is that they used her research to make her… _behave_. However, the old lady had some fight left in her- she collected information on them for years, on the sly. The kind of stuff they used to make you go get-"

"The kind that would get her killed if they knew she even _suspected_ it existed?"

"Uh-huh. Here's where things get personal for us- apparently, the squints she had been working for also swiped my infant son from the hospital I left him at. I'm not sure that she knew who's kid it was- but then again, Mrs. McGinnis was always smarter than she seemed."

Both women take sips of their tea.

"So-"

"So. She was researching ways to create secure filing systems- chemical based, almost untraceable- when they, y'know-"

"Eighty-sixed her?"

"Right. Well, they made her into one of her own experiments, but here's the kicker- _it actually worked_. Her theories were correct-"

"The _point_, J.J."

Jade sighs. "…She took the information she had gathered and hid it inside my son's DNA, then she helped him, and two others, escape from their prison."

"Ah. So, now the owners of said information want him dead?"

"Yeah- apparently Mrs. McGinnis hid the information in such a way that even if his body gets r-reduced to ash, the information would still be there."

"I'm assuming you have a plan for how to fix that?"

"Yeah- My daughter was able to retrieve the pertinent information on the chemical file inside his body; my friend created a neutralizing agent- I just need to get it into him. They know that he's a ginger haired boy who doesn't talk- the reason he's that way is because of the chemical file-"

"And they just let your friend make a whole new poison specifically for my nephew?"

"Actually, baby girl got… _creative_... with the information she stole. Apparently she was able to shift it around so that the chemical marker inside his DNA looked like a serious poison immunity-"

"Which is why your friend was allowed to invent a "poison" for only one target-"

"No, no- it really is a poison; it also happens to be a chemically neutralizing agent for that specific file."

Artemis groans the long-suffering sigh of the little sister, and takes another sip of her tea. "Location, Effects and Timeline?"

Jade hums, finishes her cookie- "Insertion point is between the eyebrows, and at the top of the forehead; dermal contact only. The immediate effects are a sharp lowering of internal filters, the ones that stop you from blurting all your thoughts out loud, followed by darkening of the hair and nails; longer, and the nerves start to liquefy- which is characterized by convulsions and blood from the major orifices. After the victim starts bleeding from the eyes, they only have twenty seconds before the damage becomes irreversible, and only thirty before the poison reaches the heart. K.O. happens within five minutes of application."

"That's…"

"Yeah."

Both women sit silently at the table, eyes downcast. Artemis perks up-"Do you have a sample?"

Jade nods-"Here." She hands Artemis a vaguely iridescent vial; Artemis eyes it, then places it in a hidden pocket of her purse.

"I'll see what I can do, J.J."

"Thanks, Warthog."

* * *

(Artemis tells Huntress what her sister told her- only she worded it in such a way that Huntress wouldn't doubt the information. She also gave Scarecrow the little vial of death- he was able to make a neutralizer for the neutralizer in short order. She also told him about the… side-effects of the poison, and hoped that he would come to the same conclusion she did.

If she "helped" him along in understanding about the sheer _tenacity_ of Shadows- told him about having to fake her own death to get some measure of peace, and still having to kill the occasional fool- Well.

The thing she forgot- the major lesson she learned on the mission Batman would give them- is the world on the inside of her head did not _necessarily_ match up with the world on the outside of her head, i.e. the internal world does reflect the external world, but the external world does not have to reflect the internal world. Like a square is a rectangle, but a rectangle is not necessarily a square. She also learned that it's always better to actually tell your mission leaders everything that you know is about to go on; secrets are secrets, but on a mission, they just make things… _**complicated.**_)

* * *

Now:

Red Hood's hair had started to darken- his eyes fluttered open, blue shining darkly. Triple X had been tied up, and was being kneeled on by Robin. There was a thin line of blood dripping down onto the floor from Triple X's neck- a minor flesh wound. (The boys got a mite… twitchy.)

Scarecrow had stalked forwards- he reached into a hip pouch, pulled out a small atomizer filled with an oily black liquid. He crouched in front of the small boy; he needs to wait exactly three minutes, otherwise there would be no point to allowing Jason to be poisoned.

(This is not Batman's plan- this is Scarecrow's plan. Batman doesn't like this plan; he'll go along with it- but…)

Jason is bleeding from his ears, blood steadily dripping from his nose, oozing from between his lips- a soft_plipliplip_ onto his pillow. His blue eyes are screwed tight with pain- his hair has darkened to a deep red-tinged black, his skin has lost most of its freckles- a small noise of pain escapes his throat. His arms squeeze a fluffy rabbit plushy with all his might- this _hurts so __**badly**_ but- he agreed to the plan. _Is a good plan- but __**hurts.**_

Scarecrow's finger flexes on the small atomizer- and sprays the oily liquid into Jason's eyes; instantly, they tear up, overflowing with pinkish saline. _**Pushing the edge there, Johnny-boy.**__ Well, it's not like we had a timer- 'We still should have been faster.'_

Jason had been breathing heavily- now, as Doc's viscous solution seeped into his body, the tenseness of his body eased; the oily black cure vanquished the iridescent death within him. His teary eyes slowly look up at the boys- a pair of stubby stubborn arms push Jason's body up. The boys kneel down closer; and that's when faulty wiring, or perhaps sabotage, makes the boy's choice about what to do about their secret moot.


	47. Chapter 44

Prejudice is a preconceived opinion that might not be based on any real facts or personal experience, but can be formed from conclusions based on a faulty foundation. For example, growing up in a prejudiced environment and hearing expressions like: "you can't trust those people," or "you know how they are" etc…

Discrimination, on the other hand, is the act of recognizing, seeing, and distinguishing differences and choosing to show prejudice and bias. Discrimination can also be based on simple hatred of a race, gender or a certain group, either because of personal experience or simple stereotyping. Discrimination can be in the form of repeated mistreatment, verbal abuse, threats, humiliation, or intimidating behavior or conduct.

Ethnic prejudice, for example, is hostility or hatred based on flawed and rigid generalization of a certain ethnicity; discrimination is the act of denying individuals or groups the equal treatment that they deserve and may desire. (Like meta-humans.)

Discrimination can make a working place a living hell. It festers in a culture of silence, intimidation, and fear. The perpetrators depend on targets keeping quiet about the abusive behavior.

Furthermore, active discrimination includes a range of behaviors ranging from avoidance, to hatred, to physical attack and extermination or even genocide. Though both prejudice and discrimination are carried out on various levels by individuals or groups, discrimination is considered to be more damaging. (There aren't very many meta-humans in Eastern Europe- look up some recent history to understand why that is.)

Discrimination can be felt or perceived in different scenarios such as being followed by a store security guard, getting poor service in a restaurant or being accused of doing something wrong in school or at the workplace. (Star City has a much more… _relaxed_ stance on meta-humans and their place in society. Certain local variations on "normal" are… more acceptable than others; selkies and their ilk are much more common there than even in Ireland.)

The most common forms of discrimination are racial remarks, slurs, being called insulting names, and being the butt of hurtful jokes. Studies have found that discrimination, racism and harassment may have significant mental and physical health consequences such as frustration, stress, anxiety, depression, possible nervous breakdown, or high blood pressure that can cause heart attacks. (A common name for a meta-human in Gotham is a "Deader-than". The reason for that is very simple- Batman hates meta-humans in his city -He made that very clear a long time ago- and make no mistake; it is his city.)

It isn't something that's discussed in polite company, but the big five cities- even Fawcett, to some extent-_do not_ approve of their extra-human denizens. This can lead to all kinds of problems, which can be somewhat akin to the acute problems facing a GLBT person in an intolerant environment.

* * *

There is one tiny problem with the above information- it is true information, _but not exactly... accurate._ In this world, frankly, there are bigger, more important things to worry about. (But the boys don't know that…)

* * *

Scarebeast lives in the center of the boys- she is the complete totality of everything that makes the boys the boys. She is also their balance; if the boys' body was an apartment, Johnny, Scarecrow, and Doc would live in it- they'd be roommates from college, new to the big city. Scarebeast would be their across the hall neighbor- an old friend from back home; she has her own life and agenda, but she looks out for the three idiots living in her apartment building too.

Johnny is the one who interacts with people the most; he knows the most about how to behave within the social norms of the society he lives in- he is the Johnny Crane of this world. Doc is the one who learns; he's the one who actually _remembers_ the rules and guidelines of the world, spoken and unspoken- he's also the one who helps them figure out where exactly those rules can be bent or broken (he's the scientist the boys always were). Scarecrow is the one with the heroic instincts (sort of); he is what remains of the villain, Jonathan Crane. Scarebeast is the one who emotes; she is who the boys would have been if they had two X chromosomes- she is who the boys are when they allow themselves to _feel_. (The boys are not gay- they just have a very active feminine side; the reason they like nice things like fitted suits and fluffy bedding is because on some internal level, Scarebeast is soothed and comforted by such things.

In other words, the boys have a super-powered inner beast- who also happens to be a girl. Yes- they have a super-powerful inner girly girl. And Scarebeast is a very girly girl. )

* * *

Scarebeast is the one who hears the fire exploding in the mansion- the boys have enough presence of mind to tell Kid Flash to save the others, but there isn't enough time to think about the repercussions of their actions- their father employer can only disown fire them if they're still alive. _**"Our brothers need us. We can panic about our lives later, boys." Woah! Scarebeast, since when do you talk? "Since always, Dork."**_** 'Well, that's interesting.' Quite; I had no idea the manifestation of our emotions was so… feminine.**

When asked about it later, Dick would gloss over the sensation of being lifted bodily by something much bigger and stronger than him; ignore the fact that he was picked up by his older brother- who was emphatically _not_ person-shaped at the time- and carried away from danger. (He would try not to think about how many times before that day that had happened- his older brother hadn't been _lying_ to him all these years… right?)

Jason will not gloss over **anything**. Jason is Jason, and Dick is Dick- and Jason will not ignore the truth in front of him, not even if it would make life easy (He's four- tact won't come until he's a teenager). Jason will go over every single uncomfortable detail- with excruciating precision.

Robin is the one who asks his older brother the question- "Scarecrow, are you a meta-human?" He is aware of tensing in the body he's curled up against- a slight tightening of the arm around him. (Scarecrow's other arm is around Re- Jason; Jason is hugging the stuffing out of his stuffed rabbit with both arms, his face buried in the boys' side.) All three brothers are lying in a skid in the earth; Scarebeast slid along her back through the ground- she had thrown them clear of the explosion just the _slightest_ bit too hard.

He sighs. "**Yeah. I am.**" His voice is low, soft in the night- the three brothers are lying in the leaf-litter and ferns underneath the trees- they are resting on the grounds of Wayne Manor, watching the light flicker from the burning east wing of aforementioned manor. Well, the boys are watching the lights flicker- Dick and Jason are cuddled up underneath their long arms; Jason was snuggled up on their left, his body shaking from both fear and exhaustion- Dick is on their right, head pressed into a broad chest. (Dick is _short_; the boys are _tall_- the top of his head just barely reaches the bottom of the boys' ribcage- and he will always be short.) The boy's head is on top of a rather fluffy asparagus fern- apparently, Scarebeast flung them all into the forest, and then passed out.

As the brothers lay quietly, watching part of the manor burn, the smog filled sky darkens to near black- big, flat flakes of snow gently drift down, followed by big fat drops of rain _Nice timing, Permzy_; somewhere beneath the manor, an automated switch flips, and the gas-line for the eastern wing is shut off; the fire begins to wane- wood dampens from the rain.

"Why- why didn't you _tell_ me?" Dick is asking this, not Robin- he's curled up against his older brother's side, his shoulders shaking with emotion.

"I wasn't- I didn't always live at the manor, baby-bird. I didn't want to- I d-d-didn't want t-to b-b-both-both-bother a-a-anyone ab-bout it." Robin lifts his head off of Scarecrow's chest and _glares_ at him- and on some level (Scarebeast and Doc), the boys know how flimsy the argument they have for not telling their family about their _special_ talents, and flinch away from his angry gaze. The movement makes Jason start- he squeaks in protest. Scarecrow's hand gently rubs between Jason's shoulder-blades- the little boy relaxes and goes back to sleep.

* * *

The softest of rustling in the bushes; Cheshire steps out of the gloomy forest, her long black hair gone curly from heat- and in that moment, Scarebeast raises her head from within the boys' body. The air goes still with tension- the crackle and snap of burning wood grows quiet and remote; Cheshire's voice creaks out into the rain-damp night- her voice grave in the darkness.

"The one I was sent to kill- he has ginger-red hair and pale freckled skin; he is four years old, and a little broad in the limbs. The only boy I see that could _possibly_ fit that description has auburn-black hair, and is golden skinned, not pale and freckly. Obviously, the boy in question is not here- it is very possible that he was never here, or that he's already dead. Personally, I am of the opinion that he never existed, and it would better serve us all if that were taken to be the truth."

The boys are the best at reading the subtext in complicated situations involving people- and, even though they shouldn't be angry at her, (she is trapped in her life, and doesn't possess the fortitude to escape it) they are. They very muchly are. "**Hmm. Did you know that kittens stay with the mother-cat for twelve weeks, on average? Well, that's the recommended timeline, of course, and that is of course barring all… ****_accidents_****. Of particular note is a phenomenon that happens, on occasion.**

**Sometimes, not often, but sometimes, something will go… ****_wrong_****, and the mother cat will eat her kittens. Often, there is something wrong with kitten- a genetic defect, or an illness, or even an infestation of some parasitic being- but sometimes… ****_not_****. Sometimes, there is a problem with the mother- she is genetically incapable of caring for her kittens, and will kill them all, healthy or not. And sometimes… sometimes, there is something ****_wrong_**** with where the cat lives. Perhaps she lives in a world of hawks and giant fish and poisonous lies- too dangerous for her to protect her kittens without getting herself killed, and then where would her kittens be? So, she gives up on them- gives up on raising them herself, on teaching them how to behave; she can't keep them safe the way she needs to and she can't let them go off on their own because they're ****_too young_****; but she's not a very good cat is she?**

A good cat would have killed her kittens the very second she realized that they wouldn't live to adulthood- the moment she understood she couldn't protect them. But this cat wouldn't do that- this cat couldn't **_make herself_**** do that; what she did instead was very simple… She gave her kittens away. Well, she gave one of her kittens away- the other, she kept for a little longer; perhaps she thought that it would be easier to raise up one than two… Sadly, she was wrong, wasn't she?**"

Cheshire has gone still and stiff- she doesn't nod; her voice is small and wobbly in the night. "H-how do you know this?"

Scarecrow ignores her. "**I assume that cat would leave her remaining kitten with someone she trusts- perhaps a littermate; someone who lives in a place distinctly less dangerous than where she lives- a barn-cat, possibly; someone who's devoted their life to catching and killing… rats. I'm sure that the kitten would be much happier there, and much more likely to live to be a cat.**"

Cheshire swallows nervously; Scarebeast hears the slide of saliva down her throat- "…What- The other kitten… What happens to it? Should it know about its si- Sibling?"

The boys contemplate what they can say- but he is a _hero_, not a villain; more than that, she needs to be reassured- she needs to know that her children will be okay with them. (**"She needs to know that this was the right thing to do." 'I got this.'**) "**I'm quite certain that, with the fullness of time, the kitten will seek out its sibling; it doesn't really matter which kitten does the searching. The world is full of secrets- searching out the truth is one of life's great pleasures.**"

* * *

Robin has remained quiet throughout the entire conversation- he doesn't understand what they're "talking" about- and one of the first things Batman taught him (right after "Always have your utility belt with you") is that if you don't understand the conversation, listen to it, commit it to memory, and ask about it later. Do not interject- it could get someone killed.

Red Hood is not _quite_ asleep. He's asleep enough that he doesn't want to move- he doesn't want to get out of the warm-safe spot he's in, doesn't want to turn his body over to look at the person trying to kill him; he doesn't want to open his eyes, or move his limbs- but he… he _knows_ that woman's voice- he knows it from somewhere. He _remembers_ it- So, while he does not outwardly react to the conversation, inwardly, he is committing it to memory, and- Well. He's spent most of his short life looking out for himself- Dubbilex and Wondergirl Red couldn't always be there to protect him, and this… this is something he'll need, eventually; he takes the memory of this conversation, and he hides it in a little pocket of the dark black place in the back of his head- Dubbilex made it for him, and put lots and lots of secrets inside it; she taught him how to make his own pockets inside it, hide his own secrets in the dark black place inside the back of his head. Later, when he's ready… when he's ready to be _strong_ and _brave_, he'll pull this conversation out and ask someone about it.

Later. When he's ready.

A softer rustling- Cheshire creeps backwards into the brush; her body vanishes into the shadows, eyes glinting in the half-light from the blaze; she faded back farther, until the manic grin on her mask is the only thing that remains visible; then that manic grin vanishes too, and the three brothers are alone in the night once more. Then the team rustles up around them- and the mission is at an end.


	48. Interlude 5

A short note about the nature of parallel universes, and how they pertain to this story:

The multiverse (or meta-universe) is the hypothetical set of multiple possible universes(including the historical universe we consistently experience) that together comprise everything that exists and can exist: the entirety of space, time, matter, and energy as well as the physical laws and constants that describe them. The term was coined in 1895 by the American philosopher and psychologist William James. The various universes within the multiverse are sometimes called parallel universes.

The structure of the multiverse, the nature of each universe within it and the relationship between the various constituent universes, depend on the specific multiverse hypothesis considered. Multiple universes have been hypothesized in cosmology, physics, astronomy,religion, philosophy, transpersonal psychology and fiction.

But for this story, you really only need to know one.

There is a legend from some hot and burnt-flat land- the legend goes that the world is inside a bag carried on the back of a man who was there when the world went into the bag (and the man himself is in the bag.) And, if you were to find that man, and empty his bag out you would find small pieces of everything- shells and stones and feathers and leaves and sticks and scraps of hide and cloth and string and bones, all of them covered in dust and ash and bits of eggshell that had shattered, the remains of dried out fruit- and these would be the pieces that make the world.

The multiverse is an innumerable amount of these men with their bags, wandering the land (which is time, of course.) What happened to Jonathan Crane- Jonathan Nathaniel Crane Pennyworth- Johnny Crane- The Boys- is simple.

A man wandered throughout the burnt lands, where all men wander- and heard a cracking sound inside the bag on his back. He drew it forwards over his shoulder and looked at what was inside- picked out a small bleak-black bundle, gently unwound its star-studded night-black wrapper; a long piece of straw had splintered- the straw was in a state of neither living nor dying- stuck. A different man came upon the first- he is younger, his bag… smaller. The first man is older- but not by much.

The young man looks at the splintered piece of straw- pulls his own bag over his shoulder. He pulls out a small white bowl, filled with threads- the older man's eyes light on the red thread, small and thin as though it is.

The younger man nods. The older man picks up the thin piece of thread, and examines the little piece of straw- _"Become what you always could'a been. The world always needs some kinda hero, Johnny-boy; so you're gonna be a hero. The thing about heroes is: they don't kill. So if you take this deal, and kill another in cold blood, you'll die. Refuse this deal, and you'll be torn asunder, shattered into your component pieces and flung from yourself, never to return as you are now. You will die, forever, and be remade into someone, something, entirely different. Make your choice, guv."_

"Will I remember... this?"

_"You'll remember what you agreed to do, your name, a few little things from the past. No more than you need to."_

"Will I die?"

_"Everyone dies, Johnny-boy- but an argument could be made that you were already dead to begin with."_

"And them? Are they coming too?"

_"You can't leave yourself behind, Johnny-boy. Sorry."_

"I- Where will I go?"

_"Choose, and find out."_

__He chose; the man's fingers gripped the thread tightly, and began to wrap the little piece of straw. The straw has broken itself into three pieces only held together by the barest of threads; as the man weaves the red thread through the straw, a tiny feather and a drop of sweat from his brow fall onto the thread- get spun into the straw. It is smaller, now, too small to be put back in the older man's bag- but small enough to go into the younger's.

The younger man carefully takes the little piece of straw (which is more than just straw now); puts it in his bag- there isn't a spot for it in his little night-dark bundle; but he can put it in a tea-pot… so he does.

(There is one tiny detail other than three little pieces of straw and a feather woven together with red thread being added to the bag that holds the world- and that would be the dust and crud of one bag diffusing into another. Dust doesn't seem like all that much- but when you remember to account for _scale_…

Well.

Certain things take on a wholly different meaning, don't they?)


	49. Chapter 45

"As current mission leader, I am calling for a Blowout- you know the procedures. We will meet in Barmargh, Quarac- timeline is four months. Alice, with me- we'll go east. Red X, Triple X; you go west."

"What about the body?"

"What about it?"

And that was how the destroyed body of Sportsmaster got thrown into the nearby Gotham Harbour; what's one more body in the "Sea of the Dead"? (SeaShadows would find it, and return it to the high mountains of the Roof of the World- and it would be thrown into the pit of Re-life.

But that is later.)

* * *

Two weeks after the mission, Dana Tan is back at her job, restocking the shelves again- and her sister and niece walk in the door. Her sister looks travel worn- but she's also in disguise; she's in sensible shoes, an ugly shade of puke grey; her long black hair is in a low bun, wound tight to the nape of her neck; she's wearing a nondescript set of medical scrubs, a pale, ugly faded shade of green, a lanyard around her neck (and Artemis knows for a fact that it will pass even a hands on test- Cheshire could have been an OB/GYN if their family had been different); a large red and black duffel bag over one shoulder- but her _eyes_…

The little girl is small, and just as travel worn- she's in a blue fluffy ruffled dress; her hair is in a pair of ponytails, cute little character bobbles tying them up (Artemis recognizes a pair of handmade "invisible" flash drives- that's Shadow training at work; Dana recognizes MLP:FiM characters); a small blue Lucite suitcase covered in stickers is sitting next to her, oblong and obviously heavy- she looks so _scared_…

"Hey, J.J."

"Hey, Wart. This is my daughter, Lian."

Dana crouches down, putting her eyes level with Lian's- "Hi, Lian. It's nice to meet you."

Lian looks at her aunt's hair and face- her hair is a soft faded grey with maroon highlights; her eyes are ringed with pink eyeshadow- Lian's eyes are wide with shock. "…hi aunt D…"

Dana smiles a small, sad smile, then gently- so gently- asks her niece "Can you go over there, with my employer, Mrs. Fyers? I need to talk with your mom one on one, okay?"

Lian nods; her small hand closes around the handle of her little blue suitcase- she wheels it over to Shado, who heard everything (she always does)- Shado looks up from her romance novel (fantasy), reaches down next to her stool-height bench. She hands Lian a coloring book and a box of crayons- Lian looks at the book with curiosity; she's never seen one before. Shado sighs, puts a bookmark in her book, and gently waves the little girl around to her side. Lian carefully walks around the counter, and stops at Shado's side- her suitcase rattles to a stop. Shado looks at Lian for a long moment, then her arms (archer's arms) reach down and scoop Lian up onto the bench next to her.

Dana watches her niece walk away; straitens up, tugs the skirt of her dress down- turns and stares at her sister; raises an eyebrow. Jade starts- fights off a shudder; her voice is quiet in the side of the store, between the racks of ribbon and tissue paper; "Someone pointed out to me- I can't take care of my daughter the way she needs to be taken care of. You can."

Dana's voice is a whispery shriek of shocked horror. "WHAT! WHY-"

Jade shushes Dana- "I can't keep her safe, Dana. I can't- I don't have time for her, not like she needs, and she's so much more than I ever was- and you remember. Don't even try to say that you don't, because you were there, and I know-" She gasps softly, her eyes focused somewhere far inside herself, staring at something far too horrible to ignore; "-I know that I'm, I'm cruel, and, and, selfish"

"Jade, no-" Artemis is instantly contrite- her sister is many things, but cruel isn't one of them-

"Yes I am! I am, I am, and I left you there- Wart, I left you there, and I would have left her behind and I know that I screwed up raising you when mom was in jail-"

"No, no; Jade-"

"I did- I did, I know I did and I am so, so sorry-" Artemis has known her sister all her life- just like a fortnight ago, her sister really feels this way, and- _I let all of this go when I left that house… I think that when I left, I had taken the time to... to come to terms with it, I guess- I don't think she ever got a chance to do the same… Jade, how long have you been carrying this around?_

"I screwed you over when I left you with him, and you're so much stronger than me, so, so you have to take her, you have to do what I can't, and I can't raise her like she should be- but you can, because you're better than me, and, and I'm, I'm cruel, and I'm selfish, and I'm a coward. I am. I-" Jade stops dead; her little sister has given up trying to stem the panicked flow of self-directed vitriol and wrapped her arms around her shaking body. A long strong arm hooks around her waist, another loops up between her shoulders; tucks her older sisters head into the curve of her neck- her older sister remains frozen for just a second, and then her arms- long lean arms, swordsman's arms- wrap around her little sister. They hold each other for a long moment- and then Cheshire shoves away. Artemis catches her older sister by the elbows; catches her eyes with the stare of the loving- holds them tightly.

"I am so honored- _so honored_- that my older sister trusts me enough to raise her daughter for her; I am proud to be your sister, Jade. I forgave you for all that mess a long time ago, so do you think… do you think that maybe you could- you could forgive yourself? Eventually?"

Jades eyes grow big- and fill with an awful kind of pride; _When did you become the older sister, Artemis?_"I'll try, Wart. Thank you- for looking after her and for forgiving me even though-"

"J.J, stop- forgiveness is something freely given, not earned. Now- I assume that you want her to take my last name?"

"I- Yeah. Yeah that would be- that would be the safest thing."

"It's no problem, J.J. Now, have you said your farewells?"

"…I wasn't kidding about being a coward, Wart…"

"J.J.- The worst part, _the absolute worst part_, about you leaving was the fact that I didn't know why you left- you didn't leave a note, or send anything back so that we would know you were okay, and you didn't _tell me anything_ about what you were going to do. You know- you know, I would have kept it a secret for you; I know now that you were just following your own plan of escape- I know that you didn't know I would keep your secret a secret- I know why you left, even, because… because our reasons were probably the same.

You need to give your daughter what you didn't give me, J.J. Our situations are different- there is a very good chance that she will **not** be as understanding as I am, when she grows up. I know it's hard and scary to do this- but when have our lives been anything else?"

Jade stares at her little sister; _Artemis- when did you become an adult woman?_ Jade nods quietly; turns towards her daughter, sitting behind the hip high store counter, coloring away.

* * *

She walks forwards on cat feet- Lian hears her anyway, looks up at her mother. Jade smiles sadly and gently shrugs her duffle bag off; Shado has returned to reading her book, and is now listening to music. Jade carefully walks around the opening of the counter- gently, slowly crouches by her daughter. "Lian, Lian honey-"

"Mommy?"

"Lian- you know… you know I love you very much, right?"

"I love you too, Mommy."

"Lian… I need you to s-stay with your aunt, okay?"

"Mommy?"

"You- I need you to do that for me, okay?"

Lian starts to cry, soft and quiet. "…you don't w-want me with you anymore?"

Jade starts to cry too; "Baby, I want you to be safe and happy more than I want you with me. I can't keep you safe with me- but you will be safe with your aunt, and, and you'll be happy-"

Lian has lunged forwards, her short, stubby arms wrapping around Jade's chest; her face presses into her mother's chest, near her heart. Her tears start to drip onto her mother's breast- "…I don't want you to go. I don't want to be away from you."

"I know baby. I know you don't, but… but you have to. I can't… I can't keep you safe with me. I'm your mother- I'm supposed to keep you safe, but I can't do that if you're with me and, and I love you too much to be selfish, but I want… I want so _badly_- I want, more than anything, to be the kind of mother you deserve, but I can't be the mother you need, and keep you as safe as you should be kept at the same time. My sister, your aunt- she can do that; she **will** do that."

"…why- why would she want to do that?"

"She would want to do that because she loves you, and she loves me- and that's what families do for each other; families will protect each other, and, and love each other- I love you _so much_, and your aunt does too, and I can't bear… I can't bear the thought of you being h-hurt or, or k-killed because you g-got mixed up in something that has no business being near a little girl. I couldn't live with myself if that happened."

Lian shudders; her little head presses even harder into her mother's chest. Jade holds her daughter close- breathes her special daughter smell, all warm and sweet and fresh- feels the small rounded body, strong with muscle- _Oh, my darling- oh, my nhẹ nhàng sen… This will be the last time we ever see each other, my dear…_

* * *

Jade left the little stationery/gift store about half an hour later; in her bag was a colored in drawing of a cat- she tries not to think about the fact that her baby colored the calico cat green, and gave the kitty a white face with red slashy stripes down its cheeks; signed it in wobbly Vietnamese, "Cho mẹ yêu thương của tôi"- and if her heart felt like it was too big for her chest… if she felt like she was choking when she breathed, and that her eyes were burning in their sockets whenever she thought about it- well. She's allowed to love her daughter, isn't she?


	50. Chapter 46

This part of the story is about a Queen, a Squire, a King, and an Assassin- but not necessarily the way you would think:

In military science, maintaining one's supply lines while disrupting those of the enemy is a crucial—some would say the most crucial—element of military strategy, since an armed force without resources and transportation is defenseless. The defeat of the British in the American War of Independence and the defeat of the Axis in the African theater of World War II are attributed to logistical failure. The historical leaders Hannibal Barca, Alexander the Great, and the Duke of Wellington are considered to have been logistical geniuses.

Supercriminal Orginizaitons have a significant need for logistics solutions, and so have developed advanced implementations. Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) is a discipline used in military industries and in villainous enterprises to ensure an easily supportable system with a robust "customer" service (logistic) concept at the lowest cost and in line with (often high) reliability, availability, maintainability and other requirements as defined for the project.

In military logistics, logistics officers manage how and when to move resources to the places they are needed. In Supercriminal Orginizations (like the Board of Light, or the Rogues of Central/Keystone), this position is either held by the head villain, or by an appointed person(s) of interest that has been chosen for loyalty to the cause, vetted for effectiveness, and trusted by the leader with access to the combined resources of the group. In the Board of Light, this position is held by Lex Luthor; in the Rogues of Central/Keystone, this position is jointly held by Captain Cold and Pied Piper. Yes, Really- and no, it doesn't matter that Piper isn't in either city for eight months out of the year, or that he's a sophomore in highschool.

Supply chain management in military logistics often deals with a number of variables in predicting cost, deterioration, consumption, and future demand. The US Military's categorical supply classification was developed in such a way that categories of supply with similar consumption variables are grouped together for planning purposes. For instance, peacetime consumption of ammunition and fuel will be considerably less than wartime consumption of these items, whereas other classes of supply such as subsistence and clothing have a relatively consistent consumption rate regardless of war or peace. Troops will always require uniforms and food. More troops will require more uniforms and food.

Supercriminal Organizations often have much more radically changing rates of consumption; a good generalization for the Rogues would be "normal" activity during the year, and "high" activity during the summer- especially considering that three of the Rogues are not yet of age, still go to school, and one of them doesn't even live in either of the cities.

Some classes of supply have a linear demand relationship—as more troops are added more supply items are needed—as more equipment is used more fuel and ammunition is consumed. Other classes of supply must consider a third variable besides usage and quantity: time. As equipment ages more and more repair parts are needed over time, even when usage and quantity stays consistent. By recording and analyzing these trends over time and applying to future scenarios, items can be supplied as necessary at the precise moment they are needed. History has shown that good logistical planning creates a lean and efficient fighting force. Lack thereof can lead to a clunky, slow, and ill-equipped force with too much or too little supply. This is why most Supercriminal Organizations only last for one operation, at most.

* * *

Queen Bernice Camilla Edwardine Georgette Maria Danielle Perdita Vertigo knows a _lot_ about logistics; she actually _runs_ her country; her advisors are just that: advisors. So, yes, she knows _exactly_ how much wheat, or iron, or electricity, or rubber her country is consuming, producing, importing, and exporting at any given moment (she commissioned an app for her smart phone specifically so she would remain current in her knowledge of those kinds of things). Queen Perdita also knows a lot about logistics for a very different reason- she was born with a heart murmur; she knows exactly how far she can push herself before she passes out- exactly how fast she can run for an exact amount of time before the shakes start; she knows where all the shortcuts through the palace are, and where all the servants doors are- and, while her robes of state are voluminous, _she is the Queen_; she will dress however she f*cking wants to, thank you very much. Although- she is not such a rebellious pre-teen that she will completely abandon _all_ the trappings of her station- just the ludicrous ones her mother tended to insist on.

Castle Vertigo is on the very peak of a high, steep mountain; it was hewn out of the eastern face, and is lit by the rising sun every day. A spring fed river from within the keep rushes down into one of the most treacherous watercourses in the world; the castle almost always looks like it's floating in a bank of furling, roiling mist- although, during the summer, it is covered in cascading rainbows. The formal dress of the Queen reflects this aesthetic- it's very… sparkly. And floofy. Not fluffy, as that would imply fur, but _floofy_, which, as any little girl will tell you, means feathers, not fur. And it's covered in scattered gemstones- diamonds, usually.

Perdita loved wearing it… when she was six. Perdita is twelve; she _hates_ it. She hates it with a passion usually reserved for affairs of state- which is when she has to wear it, of course. Her mother designed it before… before the fever that weakened her, and the birth (her birth) that killed her. She shouldn't speak ill of the dead, but… Servants talk. Everyone agrees that her mother was a beautiful, vivacious creature, possessed by the glow of life; the servants all agree that her head was as empty and ultimately as worthless as a diamond- certainly, there are facets and scratches, but… you can't eat a diamond, or pay rent with one- and no-one ever even considered her to be a choice in the succession. Perdita thinks that this might be why no one except her Uncle Warner really objected to her changing the design of her official robes of office- _Only the late Queen Sophia would think a ballgown appropriate for an advisory meeting_- and she shut him up real quick with a simple statement; "It is the Our prerogative to determine what is and is not appropriate for everywhere we are- and a ballgown, while… expansive, is _not_ appropriate for a discussion about whether or not the current taxes on the wheat crops are too low. It is also Our sacred duty to do so- as We are the highest authority in the land, Our decisions on Our mode of dress influence the rest of the country. It is an unfortunate thing, Count Vertigo, but not every woman was cut out for a ballgown."

The redesign was a set of pantdresses- a sharply A-line skirt, still slightly floofy, but more flowy and sleek than had been seen in centuries- not since the heathen warrior days, when Castle Vertigo was a mountain fortress fending off Russian Waynes; a blousy top portion with feathery designs on it, sparkling rhinestone embellishments around the collar, like wings; long sleek sleeves, the cuffs gently curling over the tips of her fingers- and hidden pockets inside those cuffs- a silvery, cloud-like wrap floats around her arms, picked out in thin silken threads; the royal seal of office, which wasn't usually worn as a necklace, but add a few inches and beads to the chain holding that seal, and suddenly...

Her Queenly crown finished the image- and it was the traditional circlet of silver with curving strands of diamonds spraying high into the air. All together, the ensemble should have evoked a roaring twenties feel with a vague seventies vibe- a visual image of decadence, glamor, and wealth coupled with a gradual lessening of societal strictures; the fact that the entire outfit was executed in varying shades of grey, ivory, and green with sudden flashes of silver helped to imply that the wearer, while stylin', also means serious business. (She's actually a little too short and untested for the respect her new threads demand- but a pair of wedge heels, and her own formidable, "not taking your f*cking sh!t no more" attitude took care of any naysayers… and as she grows, she'll only become taller and more suited to her role in the world.)

A natural offshoot of logistical expertise is an interest in Mathematics- for Perdita, Quantum Mechanics have a particular appeal; the fact that Perdita happens to be rather good at it is… a bonus. And if she uses that skill to augment her Queenly duties and enrich her country more effectively- why not? It worked for predicting the economy of her country, and what would work best- she had finally managed to write down how she had figured out how that works, and got it read by scientists who didn't care about her station, edited by people who could speak better than her- at least from a scientific perspective, and published in a small Vlatvian scientific journal when she was ten. Fast-forward two years, and she was now a regular guest at the World Scientist Symposium held in Central City, Ohio; her expertise in the world of theoretical physics and advanced logistics would probably explain the crazier things that happened to her, that strange night. (Or a certain interfering Lord of Chaos.)

* * *

The twin cities of Central and Keystone are examples of the phrase "Through a glass, darkly." The idea is, a dark mirror will reflect only what is actually there, but it is a warped, twisted reflection; the thing to remember is that a mirror, even a dark mirror, will only reflect what is there- things that are not _there_ cannot**_be_** reflected. However, as any vampire will tell you, just because something cannot be reflected doesn't mean it isn't there. To clarify a convoluted chunk of exposition, Central and Keystone are reflections of each other; Central is the shining star, light and clean and smooth- Keystone is the working stiff, heavy and gritty and harsh; together, they compose one of the largest magical nexuses of the real world, and one of the lowest instances of actual magical practitioners in the material world. Dervish is where they all go- and Dervish is in the real world.

In the real world, a city can be any shape that will actually fit- for the Central/Keystone nexus (Known as Dervish), that shape is a whirlwind twenty thousand feet high and four miles wide. Dervish is home to many real people; Klarion Le Garçon aux Sorcières, son of Morgana Le Fey, is one of Dervish's many residents. He is also one of its royals- he is a Prince, The Prince; his mother is the Queen; his friend (who agrees with his subversive views), Teekl Le Chat, is a Marquis, and Dervish is ruled by his father, King Mordru Le Infâme.

Klarion _hates_ his family. Yes, they raised him and taught him and blah blah blah- _Short sharp screams- a little brown-haired girl, naked, running, screaming "Help me! Please, please help me!"; he had just gotten up for something to drink. It's three in the morning in the real world- three in the afternoon in the material world. She can't be much older than him- he's nine, and tall, like his father, skinny because he's going through his first growth-spurt; she is small and rounded and soaked in blood. (It's __**her**__ blood, oh Gods, oh Almighty Ones-)_

As she moves, he can see her muscles moving where the skin should be- her hands like pale gloves, but those are her _**hands**__ and those are her feet, all pale, blood pooling so wet and red over golden sandal shaped tan; footsteps dark red with her own blood and HOW is she still standing-_

His Father stalks in after her, fist snapping out snake-fast; she crashes into the ground, pained yelp shrieking up into the air- "Go to bed, Boy." "Yes sir."

In the relative safety of his own room, Klarion will be violently ill, vomiting into a cauldron set aside for waste products- he had stepped into the blood, wiped it on a piece of parchment; made a little cantrip to find the rest of the girl, wound it inside a bracelet made of horse hair and beads- and found her.

The same day.

At the breakfast table.

_**In the food they want him to eat.**___

He started finding other places to be in the mornings, after that. Teekl was kind enough to suffer his company- she's cool like that. (Klarion is of the Real world. He knows what Heroes are; he knows what they do. Heroes destroy evil- his family is evil. He **will** destroy them.)

* * *

Every year, there is a soiree that is held in Dervish- this soiree is one of the only times of the year the three city's come into contact with each other; unlike Fawcett or Gotham, Central and Keystone have separated from their magical convergences; Ceallach redid the spell she used to bless the five cities she founded many times- Central and Keystone's magical blessings are in close enough contact to change the original intent for the two cities; together, the spells shifted all the Atlantean descendant people in both cities into the third city, Dervish- which is why most magical people can't find either city. Dervish was the product of a sneeze during a dust-storm; she was praying for her safety, and the sneeze imbued the prayer with magical power- enough to found a city. The dust-storm yanked the magic far into the atmosphere; spun it round; imbued it with just enough order to balance out the chaos inherent in the prayer. A city grew from that accidental blessing; a swirling, flowing morass of people governed by an equal group of Chaos Lords and Order Lords.

The Dervish Soiree is where the residents of the three sibling Cities make peace with each other, and dignitaries from other areas of the real world visit each other on technically neutral ground- the soiree happens on Midsummer's Night, better known as the summer solstice, when the day is long in the material world and the night is long in the real world. It's a dance that happens once a year- and this year, Kid Flash will have to go with his Uncle, Flash, and his teammate, Captain Marvel; he doesn't know it yet, but he'll also have to protect Queen Bernice Camilla Edwardine Georgette Maria Danielle Perdita Vertigo from certain death, uncertain intentions, unknown dangers, and wardrobe malfunctions. He will manage all but the last one.

* * *

_In a pair of windswept cities that are painted with the gentle brush of grey, one teenage hero searches out the answers to life's persistent questions- like "Will she go out with me?" and "Are my friends from Junior High villains?" and "Oh god, am I really about to die?"; Wally West is Kid Flash- the Fastest Boy Alive; Central is his city._

Wally doesn't know how to tell Linda how he feels about her. Yes, she probably won't really care either way- she's a career driven girl, she doesn't really have the time to waste on a shmuck like him… but he_likes_ her, and he wants to go out with her. His friends, James, Hartley, and Mark, think he's being a chicken-shit- Robin agrees.

Kid Flash is rather pissed off at his uncle- _Firstly, I have better things to do than spend an entire day of my short weekend dancing with people I don't know and will probably never see again; Secondly, I don't have the clothing for it; Thirdly, __**I don't know how to dance, why did you THINK I didn't go to Junior Prom?**__; Fourthly, I… I don't have a date…_ ("Team. There have been multiple attempts on Perdita Vertigo's life; as you know, she is one of the world's top Physicists- her future discoveries will almost certainly revolutionize the world as we know it."

Permafrost interjects. "She also happens to be the Queen of Vlatvia-"

Scarecrow finishes her sentence; his voice squeaks in an unmanly way on the last few words as he realizes what he's done. "-and she is twelve years old."

Batman sighs on the inside- Johnny really needs to do something about his crush on Maureen; "Your mission, should you choose to accept it-" At that moment, all the lights go out in the cave.

Batman's eyes narrow. "Team, there are now two missions to accept or decline. The first mission is to protect the young Queen from further assassination attempts until after the World Scientist Symposium in Central." Kid Flash feels the sudden strike of opportunity rushing towards him. He leaps forwards, voice raised, body flickering with excitement.

"I'll do it, I'll do it, I can handle it, please let me handle it!"

"Kid Flash- you're sure you can handle this mission on your own?"

"Absolutely!"

"Very well. This leaves the rest of the team free to participate in the second mission. Team- there have been multiple power outages as seen just now. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to investigate the cause of these outages."

Everyone accepts the mission- except Captain Marvel, Superboy, and Scarecrow. Captain Marvel's reason is connected to the Dervish Soiree- "I have a previous engagement that I must prepare for. However, if you have need of my skills, this communicator can be used to contact me."

Superboy is a teenage boy; "I have a date that I can't break- I promised; what kind of hero can I be if I break my promises?"

Scarecrow is trying to deal with his problems. "I need to talk with my father- I can't put it off any more.")

(They'll be fighting Amazo- and Wally won't care one bit. Stopping an assassin, dancing with a pretty girl, and making a new friend will do that.

Scarecrow will wonder if he could have helped at all; since he saved his brother's from certain crispification, he's had some trouble figuring out where his edges are. It's… it's been hard, re-learning where the four of them fit together, and where they don't.

Superboy- Conner will wonder if he might… _possibly_… get another date. He had a really good time- even if he discovered a previously unknown weakness to magic. He's also pretty sure that if he had fought Amazo, he would have made things worse.

Captain Marvel- Billy will be horribly guilty, but the Dervish Soiree is very important to the fate of the world; he needed to be there. And Captain Marvel knows he would have made things worse.)


	51. Chapter 47

Hartley Rathaway is very… upset. It's two things really- one, his (now ex) boyfriend, H. Z., doesn't want to- in fact, refuses to- of course, it's crazy to expect him to be as committed to the relationship as he is at this stage… but it isn't an unreasonable request for his boyfriend to go to a party with him, right? That shouldn't be a big deal. Two is that the recent power-outages fried his tuxedo which was being cleaned. Thankfully, he has a fall back. Not so thankfully, his friend Jimmy picked it out for him and Jimmy is… Sp'cial.

(Hartley Rathaway lives in Metropolis- he comes to visit his "family" in Central every summer, then goes back to live with his (guardian) cousin, Lois. He learned of his (ex) boyfriend's decision four hours before his flight to Central- and promptly lost his fucking shit; he had a moment where his mind, his body, and his emotions were not talking to each other- which is how he found himself being cuddled, big warm hand running up and down his back in a soothing way _-That feels… that feels really nice; Hunter never did that for me…_- by Mr. Kent's much younger brother, Conner. Conner was also telling him "… Hartley, calm down! If it really means that much for you to have a date, I'll take you, okay?"

Hartley's grey-green eyes slowly peek out from tear-spiked copper lashes; a handkerchief wipes at his snotty nose; a slip of red tongue licks across soft pink lips; "R-really? You'd really take me to my Debut, Conner?"

"…Yeah, Hartley. I'd be happy to."

A quick conversation with Mr. Kent, some explaining to Miss Lane, and Conner had a three-day bag on his shoulder, a ticket to Central in his hand, and five hundred dollars in his wallet.

Hartley is ecstatic.)

* * *

James Jesse is on his meds- so he's actually pretty good at the moment. Certainly, it's a little weird to be all the way there and not following shiny things that are only in his head, but that also means he finally has time to write that paper about the physics behind his "air-walkers". That was when he was fourteen- he's sixteen now, still on his meds which really helps when he needs to pull off a scheme without giving too much of the game away. (It's also really fun to act like a crazy person- it helps that no one really takes him seriously.) This year he's going to go to the World Scientist Symposium as a speaker- apparently, someone finally read his paper.

He'll also get to talk to meet his internet friend, PurdyNumerous for the first time; they met while playing BABAS, an online timewasting game. He made some inane comment about the "feasibility of flying cars using the forces of magnetism", she said something about "necessary electrical flux in a capacitorial function" and they started… talking. Hopefully, the person he's about to meet is as cool IRL as they are In Chat.

* * *

Mark Mardon is a little twitchy- it's his first year going to the annual Soiree held in Dervish, and he doesn't want to mess things up. His family's been one of the only ones to escape the notice of the Enforcement wards, meaning he's one of the only magi he knows of who also has easy access to the material world. (That's actually really important.) Honestly, he's okay with no one he knows understanding what he means when he talks- mutters, really- about the "inherent properties of lightning, and how they can be stabilized with proper applications of runes"… he just- sometimes he wishes that there was someone he knew who he could bounce ideas off of.

(No, of _course_ he didn't set things on fire with his experimentation in the flux patterns of occidental rune layouts. Yes, his eyebrows grew back. No, the mice didn't die. He'll tell you how the mice actually are… when they revert to solid from their current gaseous state. It should wear off soon, gosh!)

* * *

Three parties on one (day) (night) Day? What could _possibly_ go wrong?


	52. Chapter 48

In the end, Wally- Kid Flash- still had to go to the Dervish Soiree; he can't get out of his obligations that easily. (No, really; Magic A is Magic A, and if Magic A demands Person B be at Place C, then Person B will be at Place C. _No matter what._)

Perdita doesn't know what to wear to her speaking event- it isn't like giving a speech to the Vlatvian public; these people will _not_ take her word at face value. She knows that she can't just BS her speech- not that she has before, but here, it really isn't an option. She also isn't sure what she should wear- something pretty, of course, but it should also be… functional. _The invitation said that the Symposium would be a "formal occasion"- did they mean Formal or… Formal Casual? Hmm… Actually, now that I think about it, Nanny was probably right- "Better to overdress than underdress." So- the green silk dress with the circle cut skirt and beaded embroidery in the shape of clouds at the neck- translucent sleeves, it is hot over there; it's always windy in Central, so a heavy cape of fine Vlatvian wool (REPRESENT'N YO!) with the sea-foam green damask lining and the high collar._

Stockings? (Ye-es… the thicker ones though-) weather report says that it will be in the eighties, and they might want me to speak outside, so a larger lace pattern should work nicely for ventilation; flat messenger bag for my notes and computer, with the bullet-proof plates in the sides.

In my clutch purse… My medicines, of course- emergency inhaler, blood-thinner, band aids, my small canister of pressurized blood-clotting agent… (Tampons? There is always someone who is unprepared;) handkerchiefs- they should be on the plainer side, I think- (they're primarily snot-rags, why should they be embroidered?) Make Up? (Am I wearing any?) Yes- lipgloss should be more than enough, I am only twelve. Perhaps some loose powder in case of shine… my phone, of course- the mini-battery charger as well; money, as I am travelling abroad…

_(I should look into getting ceramic Firearms created for myself- it's annoying getting them checked at the border.) Firearms are, of course, in their concealed places. (Should I take my knives?) Yes, but only the ceramics- better not to alarm anyone. A slungshot in my purse, just in case…_

Only the paste jewelry this time- it would be better to not tempt anyone… Ack. My crown- they will almost certainly insist I wear one; perhaps a small selection- the Oriental, and the Georgian, and maybe the Fracie… I don't know, there are so many to choose fro- Ah! I'll take four- two formal and two informal; and of course they'll all co-ordinate with my outfit so it won't matter which I wear (None of my mother's crowns, too ostentatious)…

Shoes… they should be good for walking, and go with the ensemble- I'll have Madame King make something up for me; there is just enough time to break them in before my scheduled flight. The lace bottom fingerless gloves should work nicely- Her phone blips- She glances at it; confirms her suspicions._Oh. The Justice League has assigned me a bodyguard- Kid Flash, apparently. I wonder if I can convince him to take me around Central- most functions like this are very… Boring. (Perhaps I will be able to get an interesting souvenir?)_

I wonder if I'll have a good time at the Symposium; wait, what am I saying- of course I won't; (someone will probably try to kill me again, something to look forward to) Oh! RiskyBiz is going to be there- I hope that they're okay with me being twelve... (Glad Count Vertigo isn't coming- he might be my uncle, but the man's a creeper!)

There is one interesting thing about Perdita Vertigo- Queen Perdita that explains her expertise in the field of Quantum Mechanics: a strange quirk of her brain allows her to calculate information on a quantum level. What does that mean?

An example: You are in a maze. (This is your brain faced with a problem.) You can only go in one direction at a time through the maze to find the solution, and escape. (This is linear thinking, solving that problem.) Perdita doesn't think in one direction at a time- she thinks in _every direction possible at once._ (This is quantum thinking, solving that problem.) So, while it might take you five hours to figure out a solution to the maze, it would only take Perdita fifty seconds to do the same thing. However- once you found that solution, physically speaking, you would escape that maze in fifteen minutes. Perdita would need fifteen hours to do the same- heart murmurs are not fun.

This makes running a country relatively easy- and boredom hard to stave off. (She can't do most of the physical pursuits open to royalty- she has to stay inside. She's never thrown a snowball, or ridden a bicycle- not even a stationary bicycle; she'll never ride a horse, or fly a kite- her doctors have said that those things are "too strenuous for her heart.")

* * *

The Swing era (sometimes referred to as the "Big Band Era") was the period of time (1935–1946) when big band swing music was the most popular music in the United States. Though swing music was most popular during this period, the music had actually been around since the late 1920s and early 1930s, being played by black bands led by such artists as Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford, Benny Moten, Cab Calloway, and Fletcher Henderson. After 1932 most historians believe that the Swing Era started with Benny Goodman's performance at the Palomar Ballroomon August 21, 1935, bringing the music to the rest of the country.

Music experimentation has always been popular in America. The many avenues of black, white, Latin, American, and European music influences merged when Swing arrived. In 1932, early in the Jazz and the Sweet music styles of the American music scene – the musicians of the era worked on new, often unheard of musical arrangements that were emphasized toward a more polished song with a bounce. Recordings by Isham Jones, the popular jazz/blues bandleader, and his orchestra which sometimes included Benny Goodman recorded for RCA Victor. The swing era also was precipitated by spicing up familiar commercial, popular material with a Harlem oriented flavor and selling it via a white band for a white musical/commercial audience.

The Jazz/Blues era brought to swing music Louis Armstrong, Billy Holiday, and by 1938 Ella Fitzgerald. Other musicians who rose during this time include Jimmy Dorsey, his brother Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Goodman's future rival Artie Shaw, and Woody Herman who departed the Isham Jones band in 1936 to start his own band.

Several factors led to the demise of the swing era: the recording ban from August 1942 to November 1944 (The union that most jazz musicians belong to told its members not to record until the record companies agreed to pay them each time their music was played on the radio), the earlier ban of ASCAP songs from radio stations, World War II which made it harder for bands to travel around as well as the "cabaret tax", which was as high as 20%, the change in music taste, and the rise of bebop. Though Ellington and Basie were able to keep their bands together (the latter did briefly downsize his band; from 1950–1952), by the end of 1946, most of their competitors were forced to disband, bringing the swing era to a close.

Swing is still the music of choice in Central- in Keystone, Bebop takes that prize. Dervish likes both, but… Funk will get you farther. In Gotham, it's the Blues and hardcore Jazz- Fawcett prefers a sort of psychedelic folk/pop; Star wants that devil-music, some good Rock'n'Roll.

* * *

Conner's fingers were clenching in fear- digging into the underside of the rental car's seat. Hartley learned to drive from his cousin, Lois- and it shows. Central is known for its fast drivers; Hartley takes it to a whole new level. The screech of tires on asphalt wails out over the roar of Conner's thundering heart- Hartley's laughter winds around Conner's shoulders like censer smoke through golden cathedral air.

The red convertible slid into a parking space in front of their hotel, The Lampert- also the place where the Symposium is to be held tomorrow. Hartley bounded out of the car, his eyes flashing green in the midafternoon light; Conner wobbled out of the car, his face an unhealthful shade of greenish grey. Both young men composed themselves, grabbed their luggage; Hartley checks them into a double, leaves his keys at the front desk; they ride the elevator up to their room.

* * *

Mark feels like vomiting. Going to Dervish from Keystone or Central is always a hassle- thankfully there is a dedicated shuttle between the three places. Not so thankfully, the shuttle happens to be a wind-cat, which sounds better than it is.

A wind-cat is a cat made out of wind; it can be cat-shaped and imbued with the power of the wind, like the lion mount of Dhurga or the tiger mount of Lon Po or the Cat-bus of Konagei-ku. It can also be wind-shaped and imbued with the power of a cat… Like the Dervish Shuttle. Hence Mark's upset stomach- the shuttle is clear, and firm in the way only wind could be; it shifts and wriggles like only a cat could. Mark is spat out in the Keystone Square; he sways for a moment, then throws himself over the nearby trash-barrel. His backpack almost overbalances him, nearly flips him into his own slimy vomit. The rest of his day gets better from there- the Inchworm Inn has a room for him; his clothing survived the jump, and so did his things; his Aunt, Kismet, is happy to show him around town the day before the day before the Soiree. (She has her own reasons for being there- and she can take some time off of her job to show her favorite nephew around one of her favorite cities.)

* * *

Kid Flash is bored. He's enjoying the Symposium- Wally's enjoying the Symposium, and Perdita Vertigo knows her stuff… But Kid Flash is _bored_. They both are at Queen Perdita's table- Perdita doesn't really want to dance, and Kid Flash still doesn't know how. Thankfully, Perdita's online friend is just as cool IRL; but he doesn't really dance either. Perdita invites him to sit at the table- and Wally recognizes his friend, James. However, he can't talk to his friend because he's on duty. (James marks Wally too, but his family taught him better than to break someone else's suspension of disbelief. People like to believe the world is what they think it is, not what it really is- if you let them convince themselves that the world is the way they think it should be, your life becomes much easier.) All three young people are bored- but that changes when a strange sensation grips them and yanks them into another dimension- there is still a party going on though. (Thankfully, it was after their speaking events- and Perdita had her purse and her bag with her at the time. It was also a much more interesting party.)

* * *

Hartley is having a very good time- Conner **really** knows how to dance, and… yes, it is a little weird to be wearing a dress, but Jimmy Olsen really knows how to pick women's clothing; it might be kinda short, and very green, but he looks _damn_ fine in it especially paired with his smoky green-grey tights and the shoes MY GOD, and Conner is looking fresh to death in his suit (and (his mother) that woman looks like she's about to vomit, but fuck her, he can go to the Dibny Ball if he wants.) Conner spins Hartley around again- and suddenly they are in a different ballroom, at a different party. Hartley almost- _almost_- misses a beat; but Conner looks unperturbed (he isn't), like he's had weirder happen to him (he has); and Hartley decides to just… go with it. _Wha- Mark? How- I thought he had to go to his aunt's house for a few days… Hey, and that's James, he really does turn up in the strangest places- WALLY? WHA-_

* * *

Mark is dancing with the Marquis of Dervish- her name is Teekl. He met Teekl yesterday, when he was wandering around Dervish with his aunt. As it turns out, Teekl knows a lot about runes, and is happy to talk shop with him- they get into a friendly discussion about them, and then her friend Klarion showed up, and he was a cool dude too; his aunt was totally cool (not exactly) with him meeting the two of them, although they were (strangely) a little scared (terrified) of his aunt, Kismet. Anyway, Klarion wasn't too shabby in the runes department himself- Mark let slip the fact that he's going to the Dervish Soiree; "Are you really?" Klarion is startled- he likes this guy, but he doesn't seem like the back-stabby type. Why would he be going to-

Mark nods, swallows his bite of sesame seed/goolom fruit bun- one of the many specialties of Dervish; "Yeah, it's the first time I've ever gone. I'm the heir of my clan now, so-"

Teekl interjects then, her voice soft and sweet. Her black hair glows orange in the warm light of the afternoon- her eyes gleam redly, but not meanly; they are lit from within with warm curiosity. "You were not before?"

Mark shakes his head. Some tiny detail in his face, in his posture- this is not a happy subject; he doesn't want to be what his family wants him to be. "No, I wasn't. I became the heir after… After my brother died."

Klarion's eyes widen. "You're… a Mardon?" (Everyone knows about the eldest son of the Mardon clan, and how he committed suicide- the stress of Dervish politics became too much for him- the pressure of his family squeezed him too tightly; an overdose of stimulants stopped his heart.)

__"…Yeah, I am." Mark looks resigned to his fate; his eyes are pinned down to the warm wood of the table, fingers winding in and out of each other like eels in the light. He doesn't know it, but he's started to shiver and cry. (His aunt had her own things to do today- she left him to his own devices. She wants him to move to Dervish and stay with her, but she can't really do anything for him other than offer him a place to stay. A place that is out- away from his too quiet house now that Clyde's gone. She isn't really his aunt, otherwise- and it would be improper to use her power to force it… So. She offers her "nephew" a safe haven from his mother's sorrow and rage; an place to test out his "frivolous pursuits" (they aren't; runes, cantrips, and charms might be some of the most basic of magical workings, but basics are basics for a _reason_) where they can be easily reversed should something go wrong- gives him a place to be when the memories get to be too much; for when his father... Well. She is not allowed do what she wants to do to that man- that_thing_- but if she could… if only she could…) Mark's magic is connected to the weather- even when not in contact with his focus, he can still control the ambient atmosphere to some extent. The thick mist that has surrounded them is actually quite helpful for what they're about to do, which is why neither of the Dervishers disperse the moisture in the air.

(Dervishers are generally antagonistic towards the members of the Mardon clan- wouldn't you dislike someone who's allowed to go somewhere you've only heard of? (_Worthless, feckless, unworthy-_) Someone who's family has been allowed to go to that somewhere for almost two hundred years? (_What did they do to be so- Obviously, someone paid someone else- Yes, but with money, or with se-_) And you will never, never ever get to go there, not from Dervish? And the other cities won't let you in? (_You know how those Mardon's are-_))

Teekl reaches out- the tips of her fingers gently touch the backs of Mark's hands, soft hands intertwine with his, fingers winding around his, stilling his nervous motions; Klarion's long arm hooks over his shoulders. Teekl speaks. "I am so sorry for your loss, Mark." (Dervishers are naturally more publically affectionate than Keystoners or Centralists- a natural side effect of having an entire culture of magi in one place; Magi, once they get strong enough, can generally sense the aura of another magi. Klarion and Teekl, as members of one of the most back-stabbing, duplicitous courts in the world, can sense more than just auras- they can sense emotions through auras- which is helpful when making a decision about a person's credibility. Mark is very close to suicidal- and Klarion and Teekl are very compassionate people (which is not so great), empathetic in a way that would get them smacked by their parents for unseemly behavior.)

Klarion leans his side into Mark's, gently tugs him closer; "Did you… did you ever-" Mark smiles a bitter smile.

"I **never** wanted to be the heir. I shouldn't say this out loud, but- the King and Queen; there is something_wrong_ with the way they rule; I do not wish to put myself under their control. They- they scare me."

Klarion and Teekl look at each other- Teekl's position is much less politically charged than Klarion's; if she's caught- at most, the very worst they could legally do is banish her, not Destroy her. "We know. Do you want us to help you with it?"

Mark looks at them both with a careful stare- then he nods.

Klarion takes the thread of the conversation. "We will both be at the Soiree- if you want, I can name you as my Guest, and Teekl-"  
"Can name you as Favored Dance Partner-"  
"And we'll- we'll both of us- do our best to help you stay alive."

Mark looks at them so gratefully- "Thank you."

* * *

So now, Mark is dancing with Teekl- and he can see his friend Hartley- in a dress- dancing with some guy in the crowd around him. _Dude. What the hell?_ The song ends; Mark glances into Teekl's eyes; she nods almost imperceptibly. Mark crooks his arm to guide her- and together, they glide over to Hartley. "I thought you were going to the Dibney Ball with Hunter?"

"So did I. Good to see another friendly face, Mark."

"Another?"

"Oh yeah. Look at your eleven- tell me what you see."

"…James. Somehow, I'm not surprised."

Teekl raises an eyebrow at Mark's side, pinches the thin skin of his inner elbow- "Oh! Forgive my rudeness, My Lord- Hartley, this is the Marquis of Dervish, Teekl Le Chat. Lord Dervish, this is Hartley Rathaway, a very dear friend of mine."

" 'Tis an honor to meet you, Mr. Rathaway. And your charming date is…"

"Conner Kent, Your Lordship." His voice is a warm baritone rumble from somewhere near his knees- quiet in the warm candle lit ballroom.

Hartley looks at Mark very carefully, raises an eyebrow almost too quickly to be seen. Mark makes a tiny little movement with his mouth; Hartley barely nods. (They've been friends for a long time.) Hartley speaks- he's been going to events like this for almost longer than he can remember. "Your Lordship, can we possibly entice you to join us for the evening's drinks?"

Teekl coughs, her vibrantly orange and black beaded dress shimmering with her suppressed laughter- she's forgotten how much fun it is to do the dance with someone who's in it for fun. "I would be delighted to join you… so long as my friend may join us as well."

Hartley glances at Mark, who blinks. "We would be honored to enjoy the company of your friend, Your Lordship."

Teekl smiles, beckons to someone out of Hartley's line of sight- a young man in very elegant suit saunters over; the suit fits him perfectly, sliding up and down his frame like warm sunbeams over gently moving water; his thick hair shines a warm, rich brown in the light, his widow's peak accentuating his heart-shaped face- Hartley likes what he sees.

The five young people meander through the crowd- Conner snags a pair of hours 'devours from a passing waiter, hands one to Hartley ("Thank you, Conner." "Of course, Hartley." _I like his moves…_)- they descend on the round table where James, Perdita, and Kid Flash (Wally) are sitting like locusts on the golden wheat.

"James!"

He looks up from his interesting conversation about SCIENCE! with Perdita, sees his friends bearing down on him. "Hartley, Mark! Wazzup!"

"Do excuse us, but may we join you for the evening's pick-me-ups?" Teekl addresses Perdita; she is very nervous. (You can tell by her formal speech patterns.) She also, correctly, picks the smartest and most politically powerful person at the table. "You certainly may, miss…"

"Teekl Le Chat, Marquis of Dervish, miss…"

"Perdita Vertigo, Scientist. A pleasure to meet you, Lord Dervish."

* * *

The eight people end up at Queen Perdita's table- and suddenly, her night is much more interesting. (_A Prince, a Marquis- (shouldn't she be a Marchioness? Different countries have different standards, I suppose…), a Transvestite, a Wizard, a Squire, her Online Friend, Herself, and her Bodyguard at the same table? This just got interesting._)

Around half an hour later, a completely unrelated set of events came to fruition- and the Dervish King, and His Queen, fell over dead, off white foam swirling out of their mouths. (No really- it had absolutely nothing to do with any of the young people we've been following like stalkers, and everything to do with the King of Turn, Nabu. (Yes, _that_ Nabu.)) The next in line for succession to the throne of Dervish is Klarion, as he is the Prince. Unfortunately, the laws of succession state that the King must be sworn in by a Queen.

No, no- not The Queen; A Queen.

(Magic A is Magic A- and cities tend to have their own specific character. Dervish is much more self-aware than any material city- she's a Real city, and she knows what's best for her, thank-you. She might have shifted things around to better suit her, her people, and her needs-wants-haves, but if she hadn't- well. It could have been very, very bad.

Apokaliptic, in fact.)

* * *

Perdita is a tad… miffed. She was hoping an assassin would attempt to kill her- she wanted to get some use out of her new throwing knives, darn it! (Oh, Prince Klarion isn't as upset as he should be- trouble at home, perhaps?) "…Oh, that isn't good."

"Kid Flash? What do you mean?"

"Well, for one thing, a King and Queen being killed like that is never good- for another, the laws of Dervish require the current prince of the realm to take the throne at the behest of a queen."

"…What do the laws actually say?"

"Um… I'm not sure-"

"Could you find out for me, please?"

Kid Flash looks at her, sees the resolve in her gleaming blue eyes. He nods quickly- he doesn't really want to know what she looks like angry.

* * *

Klarion comes around to her side, and kneels. "Kid Flash tells me that you are a Queen?"

"I am."

"You can appoint me?"

"If I know what the protocols for your country are, then certainly."

Klarion winces. "The law is that a King of Dervish must be appointed by a Queen- nothing is said about how that should work."

Perdita reads a lot of books- it isn't that she has lots of free time; she just… has a lot of free time- it's four hours to the rest of Europe from her castle any way you slice it, then it's another ten hours to America, followed by a two hour layover in Philadelphia- then another four hours to Central... Being a Queen takes much too much time, in her opinion. She can't work during that time... so she reads. "So… I can appoint you in whatever way I wish?"

Klarion bites his lip- "Yes, you may appoint me in whatever way you feel is apropos to the situation."

"Hmm… Prince Klarion, in return for your appointment, I would like a boon."

"What would that be?"

"Fix my material heart, and I'll make you a King, Prince Klarion."

"It will be as you say, Queen Perdita."

* * *

For Klarion, granting Queen Perdita's boon is a simple matter- after the girl with the blood (_Oh __**gods**_) he devoted a large portion of his studies towards learning how to heal with his magic. A _twist_ from within, and Queen Perdita's heart is perfect- and her meta-gene is no longer working to keep her heart beating. (The poisons will be worked out of her systems by the next morning; her powers will start to activate within the week.)

"I, Queen Bernice Camilla Edwardine Georgette Maria Danielle Perdita Vertigo, ask King Klarion Le Garçon aux Sorcières to rise, and take his throne." Klarion's red eyes gleam in the soft golden candle light; he rises with some undefinable power swirling around him. He stands tall and strong- Teekl inhales, her voice caught in her throat;_ he looks like his father. Gods, that's hot._ (Horny teenagers are _everywhere_.)

King Klarion bows to Queen Perdita; "Will you dance with me Your Majesty?"

Queen Perdita rises, her circle cut skirt flaring around her legs. "I would be _delighted_ to do so, Your Majesty." Klarion gently takes Perdita's hand in his- draws her out to the dance floor. The band (Caravan Palace, a Dervish favorite) starts to play a hoppin' beat; they dance with a rather spectacularly manic happiness.

("Captain, check your seven. Is that Queen Perdita dancing with Klarion the Witch-boy?"

"I believe so, Flash; and Klarion is the current King of Dervish. I think your nephew and his friends are here too. At seven-thirty and twelve."

"Ah… Yeah, that's my Kid- along with Trickster, Pied Piper, and Weather Wizard. It's good that he can spend time with his friends. Don't recognize the girl though-"

"Teekl Le Chat, Marquis of Dervish."

"Shouldn't she be a marichoness?"

"Yeah, I don't get that either. Dervish is weird."

It should be noted that Captain Marvel and Flash get along like a house on fire- you know, screams, trauma, structural damage; it would make the Big Three very happy to never pair them in a team. Failing that, they would like to limit their exposure to each other. Together it's like- Flash is like one little boy, a little troublesome, but not too bad on his own; Captain Marvel is like another little boy, a little shy, but not too bad on his own. When you put the two together, you get a pair of little boys who would happily play together… by bungee-jumping off the roof. With yarn.

Yeah.)

* * *

Wally will forever remember the aftermath of that party- his friend James gained a standing invitation to the Vlatvian Palace, and learned many new ways to cuss someone out; Wally thought Queens didn't curse, but…- Teekl gave him her phone number, and told him "I would be happy to… teach you how to dance, Kid Flash."- Mark got a knighthood from the King of Dervish, Klarion- He got Klarion's email, and an entreaty to "Stay in touch, eh?"- Perdita gave him a hug and told him that "This was the best party I've ever been to! We should… um… "hang out?" again!" "I'd be delighted to, Queen Perdita."- and Robin told him all about the FUBAR mission the team had just returned from, and showed off his finger-cast.

All things considered, the parties were complete successes.


	53. Chapter 49

This part of the story is about a street-gang of "orphans" who live in a box (a refrigerator box, honestly, some people don't have standards) on a roof somewhere on the streets of Gotham:

* * *

_-"If there are gods, they do not help, and justice belongs to the strong; but know that all things done before the naked stars are remembered."-_

* * *

(If you're prepared for hardship- if you are inventive and sneaky and above all _smart_ the streets of Gotham are the place for you; if you're prepared to run like hell and hold your breath and never, never use your real name, the streets of Gotham are the place for you.)

A soft whimper from a baby's mouth- and Carrie is up, out of her little nest of blankets; the small hot-plate Black tugged out of the trash was a little funky, but Oracle was able to clean it for them with some bleach, so it was all good. Stephanie- no, no real names where outsiders can hear- very late at night or very early afternoon if they're at Home is okay, but it's just past dawn, so they have to use safe-names; so it's Spoiler's turn to feed RR.

"Spoiler- Spoiler, wakem, yeah?"

"Mmmnngh- whatchu-wan' do Kitten?"

"S'yur turn ta feed RR, innit?"

"…Ha, s'right; m'kay." Spoiler- Stephanie shifts up and out of her little nest of blankets; reaches into the corner of one of the wide chimneys that block the wind off of the Sea of the Dead, grabs a new can of condensed milk, the open jug of infant water and the infant formula; Ca- Kitten has turned the hotplate on, put their baby food cook-pot on it (it's small, and tall, and has a little spout on one side, made of copper- Kitten swiped it off the back of a truck)- Spoiler pours three ounces of water into the pan; Kitten has carefully used one of their knives to open the condensed milk. Spoiler measures out two careful scoops of formula, added a count of five _count to five while you pour then stop_ pour of condensed milk- a pair of disposable chopsticks get used to stir the brew; Kitten takes over stirring it. Spoiler gently tugs Red out of his "crib", a milk crate lined with sofa cushions and warm fleecy blankets- the rim of a bicycle is over it, a make-shift mobile strung with colorful folded paper animals and tiny flowery beads _Tim outgrew his bassinet months ago- god, he grows so fast-_; sits him on her lap, gently tucks one arm under his body- Kitten hands her a new bottle, just warm enough to be good.

Spoiler cradles Red- gently tucks his black hair behind his ear as he suckles from his bottle, blue eyes half closed in contentment. He sucks it all down- makes a funny little face; Kitten hands Spoiler the changing bag. Spoiler sighs, but it is her turn… "Black back fr'm Or'cle's yet?"

"Nah. Be back soonish yeah?"

A soft clatter- a small collection of cans tied to a string- and Black (Cassandra) climbs back into the small fort. She has a small black sack backpack hooked over one shoulder; she's wearing a jumpsuit in various shades of black, navy blue, dark grey and brown; she's splotched like a calico cat. A beanie with cat ears covers her head below her ears; a black and white bandana covers her face to the bridge of her nose; her eyes are covered by a pair of (black) Jackie O sunglasses with yellow lenses.

* * *

Gotham Clothing Exchange is run by people who don't really care who you are or what you want to buy- so long as your cash is legal tender you can have whatever you want. This is why no one really noticed when a little honey-blonde girl bought five dollars' worth of baby/infant cloth items and some old Halloween costumes; and the GCE sells more than just _clothing_- they'll take just about anything really.

Which is how a little sandy-blonde haired girl was able to fill a soda shipping crate with all the other little things a baby would need and a few other things- baby bottles, infant formula, cloth diapers, blankets, soft squishy toys that wouldn't have parts pop off- rope that is hard to tangle, grappling hooks, fingerless leather gloves, sewing kits, Deuce Bandages, party supplies; all together, the contents of the crate only cost her fifty cents. The GCE sells _clothing_, not stuff- they aren't Bargain Mart. (Bargain Mart, Bargain Mart, for all your shopping needs.)

Which is how a little girl (who didn't talk) with black hair was able to fill a banker's box with beanies and vinyl gloves and knives and brass knuckles and dog-chains and old keys and hammers and nails and sheets and bubble wrap... They do sell super-cheap laundry soap though; there are in store washing machines- so long as you buy more than a dollar's worth of clothing, they're yours to use (provided you have the quarters to run the machines.)

(If you're willing to hide and sneak- curl up inside the shadows and hide under-inside-behind-around the wall; wrap yourself in the coat of lies that gets re-woven every night- the streets of Gotham are the place for you. If you're willing to lie and cheat and steal- destroy someone utterly, make your own path, walk on the wild side, learn to fly without wings or lines or upward lift… If you are willing to be eaten alive, get spat back out, lick your wounds and carry on, the streets of Gotham are the place for you.)

* * *

Stephanie Brown; Spoiler is a vigilante. She went to the library and looked it up- and that's what a person who operates outside of the law to bring criminals to justice is. (She met the Oracle there too- veritable font of know-age, that one. She didn't mind that they weren't exactly… respectable; she wanted in on the- the thing they had going. Stephanie was… impressed with her resolve; Carrie, less so. Cassandra, true to form, doesn't comment. She does knit Oracle- Barbara, a bright yellow cat-eared beanie with long braided ties down the sides and bouncy pom-poms that hang just above the shoulders; apparently, she approves of having a stable source of information.) That's what she is. She might not be a hero yet, but a vigilante she is. She left home when she was six- packed up her little Choco lunchbox with medical supplies; folded up androgynous clothing into a purple knap-sack- got her dad to teach her how to pack for camping. (Sneak and hide, hide and sneak.) Mom was high again, and Dad is not there often enough to matter.

Caroline Fischer is a thief. She left her house because her parents didn't care what she did; didn't care if she ate, or slept, or had clean things to wear- didn't care if she was sick, or her grades were good, or if she had friends. (A bloody nose, another fight with those girls _and if mom or dad would just notice me_- a trip to the Nurses office at Gotham North. A pamphlet -_**Neglect**__ is the most common type of abuse. Some research claims children are more likely to be neglected if they're poor because parents are preoccupied with survival – but wealthy families definitely can and do neglect their kids. Neglect occurs when parents or guardians don't provide food, shelter, safety, supervision, clothes, education, attention, or medical treatment – often it's about what they __**don't**__ do, more than it is about what they do._-) She was gone within two weeks- and if she didn't think that through, hey… Whatever.

Cassandra Cain is an assassin. She was on her very first mission (three years old, the same age as Jason); and she went through with it, then (_I… he was so scared and I killed him, I made him stop- I don't- I don't want to do that again_); she ran hard and fast… ended up in Gotham, where no one cares. Her duffle bag full of weapons is the only thing she had- food, clothing, shelter, language- all of that will come later, when she meets Carrie and Stephanie. Happiness will be found only when she begins to care for Tim- well, _care for_ is a bit strong; more like… protect, defend- _look after_. (They're only a year apart- Tim looked like a two-year old when they found him; he was dressed as a small child.)

* * *

They meet each other within a week of being on the streets, in late May; hit it off within seconds. Both blond girls are nine years old- Carrie is bureaucracy savvy; she's the one who figures out how to get a P.O. Box and a correspondence-style education- Stephanie is street smart; she's the one who finds places to get food, clothing, and shelter. Cassie comes later, after they get driven out of a place Stephanie found for them, again. Stephanie is headstrong- she takes the wrong tack. "EY! Wha's the big idea wif-"

The man is much bigger than her; his eyes gleam in the night. (He's going to kill her.) Stephanie sees him rear back, sees his fist rise into the air- a dark blur rockets down from the sky (the fire escape). "Urk." The man falls over, knocked out cold- having a ninety pound girl land on your head tends to do that. The girl in black stands tall, her black-brown eyes gleaming in the night- and all she sees from the ones she... happiness, and gratefulness; _They- they don't mind that I didn't… Maybe I'll stay with them for a while; I hope they'll let me…_ (They did. Of course they did; they are kind, and she is strong- and Stephanie, for all her weak fighting skills, is a very good judge of character (when she's slept enough). Carrie likes to think she's better at it- she's better at judging the character of _scumbags_, not regular people.)

Alone, they could have survived- together, they thrived.

Then- then, Carrie rescues a baby from his _Dead kidnappers; the gang'f brigands zigged when they shoulda zagged, and got shot by rivals, or maybe there were too many thieves in the den; Bang-Bang, and all the ugly biggerz're on the ground, a little bassinet clattering- the high, reedy cry of a- baby. What the fucking hell?_ Carrie was sneaking along behind one of the dumpsters, _groceries, natch_; she had frozen up when the shootout started- held herself quietly behind the thick steel of the dumpster; when the shooting stopped, and the baby's cries started, Carrie made herself creep out from the relative safety of behind the dumpster.

* * *

(Legally speaking, Carrie Fischer is actually Caroline Kelly- her grandmother, who died three months before she left the people who were supposed to be her parents, was Mariah Fischer- the person who was supposed to be her father is named Jared Kelly. (The person who was supposed to be her mother is named Ravinia Fischer Kelly.) Mariah Fischer was an accountant for the mob in her later life- it doesn't matter which mob, not really. Mariah Fischer- who Carrie called Grammy- was the one who cared for Carrie more often than not. Grammy was the one who taught Carrie how to pick locks, and pockets, hack a computer; how to hot-wire cars, and make IED's and shoot all manner of guns- Grammy was the one who taught Carrie how to read, speak, and understand legalese, negotiate a contract, read a will; how to out-think a civil servant, lie to the police, out run debitors- Grammy was the one who read to her at night, and taught her how to read, and write, patched her boo-boo's…

It was Grammy Fischer- not Jared Kelly, nor Ravinia Fischer Kelly, but Mariah Donelly Fischer- who freely gave the gift of love to her granddaughter, Carrie.

Out of a sense of respect, and love, and devotion for the dearly departed, Carrie calls herself Fischer- and, to be honest, Fischer suits her better in this world; in another world, she would have been a Kelly.)

Carrie is in a loose shadowy grey and black jumpsuit, striped and spotted like some bizarre variety of cat; a thin, angled domino mask over her eyes like a cat's face; small bag on her back, cinched tight to her, like a second skin. (Striped and spotted cat-eared beanie that matches her jumpsuit; Cass really likes to knit.) Kitten skitters forwards- looks down into the bassinet; into the crying face of a boy, no more than two years old. Her small hands gently tug off her outer leather fingerless gloves- thin inner vinyl gloves warm from her breath exhaled sharply over large palms; she gently picks up the little baby- she had volunteered at Gotham North's daycare before, so she knew how to pick him up, and he's a little big for a little baby, heavy in that weird way small fragile things are- too large for the way he's dressed.

As she gently begins to pat the baby on his back, his shrill screams quiet into nothing. There is a large-ish diaper bag filled with baby things- Kitten pulls out a long baby wrap from the bag, loops it around herself and the little boy; puts the bag over one shoulder, cinches it tight; a quick little running leap onto a nearby fire escape, rebound off the bounce-net, and she's up on the Skyway, en route to Home.


	54. Chapter 50

Gotham, architecturally speaking, is one of the craziest cities you will never want to live in. Never mind the crime rates- when your gas-line, your electrics, your water, and your ventilation all look the same, general matinence becomes very hard to do. That's not even getting into the rent prices; there is a reason The Narrows have always been lived in- a reason the actual island of Gotham has always had a standing population of over ten-thousand people. It's cheaper to live near the people paying you- and it just makes sense to have the fields where you grow your food outside an accursed swamp…

That said, the Gotham Skyway is one of the most amazing examples of urban landscape in the world. However- it isn't very… how should I put it… User-friendly? After Stephanie nearly twisted her ankle (broke her neck, splattered her brains out on the cold streets) going Home, Carrie put her foot down. " 'S past time to make some safeties, Spoi. We can't- if you get hurt, we won't-"

" 'M Fine, Kit-"  
"You almost weren't Spoi-"  
"I can handle myself out there and-"  
"I can't handle if you were to-"

Cassandra, who doesn't talk with words (right now, she couldn't if she wanted to; three months with the girls will make it so that she could if she were so inclined- not that she will be, but _she __**can**_ which is more than can be said for another world. She is only six years old- a little late for learning languages, but Cass is smart, and she is young- and Stephanie and Carrie talk a lot.), tugs one of the looped coils of bungee cord out of its crate- starts to tie knots and loops; weaves a net of circular proportions with fluid motions of her arms and torso. Carrie and Stephanie stop whisper-yelling at each other when Cassandra throws the newly woven net at their midsections. It catches them both just over the ribs- they let out a perfectly unified grunt; Cassandra has already pulled out another coil of cord- the next net she weaves is rectangular, and made out of finely spun cotton yarn; it'll end up as a part of Home's rafters. The first net goes on the corner of 87th and Le'roux, pulled tightly between where Stephanie fell before, and where she was trying to reach- a little safety net, hidden just the right way for it to not be noticed.

Home grew out of necessity- at first, it was whatever the three girls could carry on their backs, in their bags, or remember where they hid. Then Carrie, on one of her scouting runs, found a little alcove between two massive chimney stacks; fell through an old piece of scaffolding, caught herself on crumbling brickwork- scraped her hands nearly raw. The place she had nearly fallen through was almost three stories down- and five feet wide. She was on an errand at the time- Oracle wanted access to the CCTV cameras around town, so Carrie was helping her get it… But. She came back- brought Steph and Cass to the place she found; Stephanie liked the fact that the little niche was in the center of the city- Cassandra liked the fact that there were almost fifty points of exit… but only five points of access. Carrie liked the fact that it was very… quiet- secluded from the city.

It was easy enough to clean the place out- build _quality_ scaffolding, rig the entire place with traps (Safety first…) add a room for each of them, build storage and training and surveillance- a map of the city on one wall, pinned with POI's- a register of places that are good to rob, places to stay away from, Cats-to-be… It eventually stopped being "the place" and became "Home"- the place you go back to, the place your family is; the place your heart is.

They became a small family- three sisters and their baby brother- and if one of them had to be at home at all times so that Tim didn't have to wake up alone, then that's what had to be. If they needed to eat more fruits and vegetables, take vitamins, bathe regularly- Stephanie likes to garden, Carrie is a _damn_ fine pickpocket, and Cass had been wanting to branch out into other areas of design for a while.

They made it work.

(If you're willing to live, the streets of Gotham are the place for you; If you're willing to die, the streets of Gotham are the place for you.)

The reason Batman (and Sons and Daughter) didn't notice a street gang of vigilantes showing up in Gotham was ultimately very simple: _they were too busy_; finding a set of clones created for ostensibly nefarious purposes- taking responsibility for your third son, helping your first son work through some rather spectacular image issues, and dealing with the fallout from your second son's crazy party tendencies will suck the time out of your life like you wouldn't believe. By the time he realized a new, rather worrying gang of "thieves" calling themselves "Stray Cats" has shown up out of, seemingly nowhere, _there doesn't appear to be a connection to Catwoman, but it's only a matter of time before it shows up…_ it was far too late to do anything about it. (The reason the gang of "thieves" is worrying is not because of what they take or whom they steal from- the gang of "thieves" is worrying because of _how_ they're doing their work- they steal from places that are too well guarded for any but the best of thieves to gain entrance; places who's points of access are too small for any adult and too _cracked injudiciously dangerous_ for any sane person to dare. Basically, they're either a gang of midgets who don't care if they live or die- or they're a gang of children who don't know better.

Half right ain't bad.)

Annoyingly, something gets done about it within a week of him being really aware of it- and by his second youngest son. (That would be Jason; Dick was busy negotiating with the King of Dervish for his help- Klarion is more than amenable to their cause, but he is a _King_- he has to look after the needs of his people, before he can look to the world's welfare. (Do not attempt to govern your lands if your house is not secure- Klarion is still cleaning his house; it will be three weeks after Robin and Logistica have gone to Dervish before he will be able to give them the help they requested without fear of reprisals, assassinations, or sabotage.)

Johnny was with him at the time- apparently, with all the children gone, he felt it safe enough to break out new and exciting variations of his old standbys. You don't need to be in fighting shape to fire a rocket launcher.

Permafrost was at the Watchtower- the boys (Johnny, Dick, and Jason) might not be allowed up there, but she gets special dispensation by virtue of the fact that she's much harder to kill. (No, really- it's very hard to scare someone with the threat of the Void when their internal temperature reaches below absolute zero at times, they can create ice on a molecular level, and they can hold their breath indefinitely. Of course, she was also busy with _running_ the damn place- it's kinda hard to do when you only have twenty techies and very little engineering knowledge- but then Logistica was able to help her out with some extra personnel and an uplink to some girl called "Oracle" for technical support.)

Apparently, he is now the proud father of- not one, not two, not three, but- four sons, and four daughters.


	55. Chapter 51

Castle Vertigo:

James Jesse is _not_ having a good time. He went back to Vlatvia with Perdita; it's his summer vacation, he can do what he wants, peeps. PerdyNumerous invited RiskyBiz over to visit months and months ago, so… James took Perdita up on it- and that was when he learned that his new friend, Perdita, is actually Queen Bernice Georgette Camilla- Queen Georgette Edwardine Bernice- _**fuck**__ it;_ Perdita Vertigo is actually the Queen of Vlatvia… along with being one of the top physicists in the world. Palace life is pretty freaking sweet, and even though he wants to milk it for all its worth, Len Snart "raised him better." So.

Oddly- or maybe not- she's one of the most organized people he's ever met. Like, when every person over the age of eighteen vanishes, she doesn't _visibly_ panic. She goes to her office- her real office, not the show-piece that gets photographed- and unlocks a massive wardrobe- inside is a stack of folders. She rustles through the folders, tugs out one- James' Cyrillic is a little rusty, but he can make out "No-Adults Action Plan"; "Perdita… did you make a plan for if every available adult person is suddenly gone?"

"…yes…"

"…You are _amazing._"

She blushes cutely; shakes her head a little, blond waves flashing in the light. "James- W-wait, this is very important- you told me that you take… not _ravim_… not meditsiin… Ah! Medicine- medicine for a… üle põnevil… over excitement condition?"

"You mean my ADD/ADHD drugs?"

"Yes- how much of the meditsii- Medicine do you have with you?"

"I have about… ah… three days left."

"**_Nikkuma!_** Okay, zo- do you know the amounts needed… like their, um, what is the word- not suhe… r-ratio? Of erguti-"

"Stimulants? Yeah, it's labled on the bottles- Perdita, you need to breath slower, or you'll pass out. If you panic, I won't know what to... You just have to stay- stay calm. Just breathe, okay? We'll figure this out together Perdita, it'll be okay-" James' hazel eyes have flared a cool, calming blue; his straw blond hair has fluffed out around his head like feathers on a chick- his breath huffs out of him when a girl- a Perdita- wraps her arms around him, squeezing his ribs almost painfully. "Aitäh, James. Aitäh aitäh aitäh aitäh aitäh aitäh-" James doesn't even hesitate- yes, there are suddenly five Perdita's in the room, but _this_ one is hugging him, so- he hugs her back; hooks his chin over her head, smells her- _Lavender, Rosemary, soap- she's really… sweet. Until she turns- fifteen in Vlatvia? No, be safe… in Keystone it's seventeen- Until Seventeen, sweet is the only thing she can be. Dammit morals. Ah no! Nononononononono- bad hormones bad hormones- quick, think about dead puppies, argh argh argh-_

* * *

Gotham:

They're at breakfast when it happens- Johnny is munching on a slice of bacon, occasionally reaching out to grip the back of Dick's pajama shirt and tug him away from a face full of oatmeal; Dick is half asleep, nearly drowned in his oatmeal, as usual- he doesn't always eat oatmeal, of course… Sometimes, he eats cold cereal. Jason is, quietly, carefully, placing the small circles of his Oatie's cereal on the spiked hairs of Bruce's snoring head- there is one rather impressive stack of fifteen; Bruce's chainsaw like snores rattle the cutlery, trouble the various drinks, and make all three boys very glad they have their own earplugs. Alfred is working very hard to not laugh at the antics of his family at breakfast. (Evidently, Johnny and Jason are morning people- Dick and Bruce are _very muchly __**not**_.)

Dick only realizes something's wrong- not, y'know, Dad Bruce woke up and is not amused with Jason wrong, but _wrong_- when he can't hear the obnoxiously loud chewing from his older brother at breakfast. He's been hearing that sound, which is actually very comforting for him, since he was around nine and a half; ten really, but he felt nine and a half... For it to suddenly be gone- not "he's just swallowing" but _gone_- is enough for him to fully open his eyes before nine-fifteen A.M. for the first time in three years; just in time to hear Jason's first fully articulated words. (In what will be mentioned in Batclan lore as indicative of his character, one word is a rather foul curse in at least three languages.) "Vâng, fuck."

Sadly, the exact word(s) the boys said when his two younger brothers vanished will be lost to the annals of history- however, it is known that it made both of Alfred's eyebrows go up, and Bruce was stunned into wakefulness by the sheer vehemence of the phrases uttered by his eldest child. The fact that it was all uttered in a perfect cockney accent, however, is very much known. After all, he repeated them, with much greater desperation, when he learned that his not-quite paramour Permafrost was also missing.

* * *

Watchtower:

Permafrost is worried _I'm not panicking, just… I'm not sure how we're going to get through this. Shit, I can feel it, I'm panicking._- you could tell by the steady huffs of mist coming from her nose and mouth. You could also tell by the steadily dropping temperature. (The ambient temperature of the Watchtower is always- _always_- seventy-two degrees Ferinheight. (That's twenty-two point two degrees Celsius.) Normally, an "on" Permafrost will lower the area around herself about two degrees, generally making the rooms she's in at the Watchtower a chilly seventy degrees. Right then, she was dropping the temperature almost ten degrees- from seventy-two to sixty-two.)

It's one thing for Bats to trust her enough to allow her into the Watchtower- to trust her self-control enough to not freak and hurt someone- it's quite another to assign her monitor duty. Yes, she turns eighteen in a few months, and yes, the age limit for the League is eighteen but… she's not sure she's ready. Then all of the people over eighteen vanished, and she was left with twenty people who had lied about their ages, four babies, a girl named Ace in a stasis pod, a shy teenage girl named M'gann, various plants and animals, and a massive logistical nightmare on her hands.

(Here's how it breaks down. If all the children of the world were to vanish, at most, there would be a depression, warfare, and serious civilization collapse. If all the _adults_ were to vanish from the world at once, the worst that could happen would be… Nuclear Apocalypse. That's not even getting into food problems, electrics, medical-

There are lots of sick, and small, and shy children- not every child in the world is a Johnny or a Cass; a Jason or a Carrie; a Maureen or a M'gann- point of fact, most children aren't. (Be grateful that they aren't.))

* * *

Platinum Flatts:

Kaldur is mad- although, the term is really sexually frustrated, but he _feels_ angry. Okay, so- his wonderful fiancée, Roy, was ah… _tending to his garden_ and then, right when he was about to… erm… (_screw it_) right when he was about to bring him to completion, Roy _vanished_, right? Right, so, Kaldur isn't so far along that his magic has become affected- he can feel the massively powerful spell washing over him, dragging his fiancée away. So.

After he realizes that, no, his wonderful Roy is not going to be giving him that sweet sweet release, he lies there, panting. Then he makes his quivering stomach muscles tug him up and forward, leans on his weakened knees- and proceeds to curse the makers of the spell out with all the pent-up frustration of a teenage (girl) boy denied an orgasm. After that, Kaldur staggers out of bed, takes a shower- makes him (her) self walk, calmly, gracefully, over to the closet.

Atlantean uniforms, particularly for the armed forces, are often unisex- or at the very least, extremely adjustable. Kaldur's Aqualad uniform is not an exception; in Atlantean law, his position is Champion to the King. Kaldur's Aqualad uniform is actually an update of centuries of Atlantean livery; the exact color, shape, and placement of every mark on that set of clothing is set. The way it fits him, however, is not. For example, the chest area is able to expand and contract via a set of buttons, ties, and cleverly disguised catches; the pants expand and contract in various ways- but that's clothing. Atlantean _weaponry_ on the other hand, is very muchly **not** unisex. It's not about gender- it's about the way a person's magical strength flows through their body; in males, it flows one way- in females, another. As Kaldur is now female...

All Atlanteans have a basic amount of magical ability- the ones who can show others pictures in the silt-clouds, or see the future in the seaweed, or can make their favorite shells light up in rainbow colors- those children are trained to be sorcerers. (Kaldur did none of that. What Kaldur did is both more and less worrying- he talked to fish, and anemones, and they talked back… he made the seaweed grow out of season, and got the living corals to grow in shapes- these things mark a very powerful sorcerer; they also mark a descendant of Kordax. Where Kaldur lived- where he was born, and grew up… these things were common. However- a little twist of fate got him sent to Basic Training in Poseidonis, where he was tested early for magical ability, and his testers were… _stunned_. While Poseidonis might produce more sorcerers, they usually do not possess great magical power- too much inbreeding.) Kaldur, by virtue of who he is, was sent to Poseidonis- where his magical strength was tested, and he was trained; where he made his first friends, and got his first crush; where he learned the two styles of fighting.

The Change, as it is called in Shayeris, is where the icthyian adjustments to Atlantean genetic code show themselves. There has been enough intermixing of the two strains of Atlantean genetics- the original _Homo atlanis_ and the modified _Homo icthyia_- for the Change to be rather common in society, and very well studied. Which means that Kaldur goes to an adult-less Shayeris in uniform, but unarmed; while it might be too dangerous for him to use his swords, that isn't all he knows how to use- his mother's harpoons should work for him _just fine_ thank you. He'll probably grab a net or two, some potions, a snack (he's really been craving his mother's oyster creams spread over spicy red coral rounds; normally repulsive, but currently delicious)- make sure that all the children of Shayeris are okay without him.

Then he's going to stab the fuck out of the stupid witches who cockblocked him. Yes indeedy-do.

* * *

Fawcett:

Secret is worried. Not because all the adults vanished- that imbalance should right itself within three weeks- but because he can't get Zatanna to lift the spell holding Billy down. Apparently, he's stolen her diary sometime in the past few days. Zatanna's father, John Zatara, had sent her over by train a few days ago; just before Captain Marvel was at the Dervish Soiree, Kent Nelson died. This meant that Nabu was free to run a few little… "errands". He'd been meaning to do something about the current rulers of Dervish for some time, however, he couldn't do anything while he was still bound to the material plane- when the late Mr. Nelson died, that bond was shattered.

Unfortunately, his duties are _in_ the material world, not the real world; his former host had died, and Death is a woman of duty- that duty is to bring, and then release. She can't do returns. (All sales are final; no refunds.) He searches out suitable hosts- Abel's House of Secrets- although the Abel's was dropped, that's still the place- and… _damn_. Durante "Dudley" Zatara would have been perfect- except he's working for Shazam, who has much more power to use in his pursuits; _where there is an Abel, there is a Cain_; the girl Zatanna is too young, but her _father_-

Nabu explains his duties to John Zatara; John asks Nabu for a little time to set his former life in order- "Please, Lord Nabu- I **must** see to my daughters welfare-"

"I know. A duty is a duty- yours is to your daughter. I'm sure her uncle, Durante, will take care of her."

A quick phone call later, a mildly powerful trance spell- and Zatanna is packed, dressed, and on a train to her uncle's house. She's leaving her attic bedroom above the House of Mysteries (Cain's)- leaving to live with the uncle she's only met once in her life when she was six. She's twe thirteen now, and she barely remembers her Uncle D- and she does _not_ like Billy Batson. Which is cool- Batson doesn't like her either.

Flash forwards to now, and Zatanna has pinned Billy to the floor of the stockroom of House of Secrets, and is jumping on him.

(Interestingly, Secret and Zatanna get along just fine.)

(What Nabu doesn't know is that his actions in the real world are about to throw the material world out of balance- by killing the King and Queen of Dervish, he allowed a power vacuum to be created. That vacuum will cease to exist three weeks after Logistica and Robin go to Dervish- you can't really effect the material world if you're dead.)

* * *

**These are words that will make your enjoyment of this story better- Timey-Wimey. Say it with me now- Timey-Wimey. You'll see why soon enough.**


	56. Chapter 52

Gotham:

Robin remembers the one and only time he ever asked his brother about what he does in his role as Batman's associate. His brother, to his knowledge, will not lie about his actions- his past, his mind, his body, his feelings are all fair game- but not his actions. Not to him. So, when his older brother replied glibly that he got "Banned from Biyalia on Batman's say-so" Robin asks for some clarification.

(This is right before the "Getting a small child almost nearly dead" mission- and this is where Robin, and the Team, got acquainted with Scarecrow's more frightening side. This is also where they all become very thankful that Scarecrow is the Second, not the Commander.)

"'Crow, why aren't you allowed in Biyalia?"

"**Hmm? Oh that… I cut out Queen Bee's liver a few years ago- she really should learn to let stuff like that go...**"

Robin stares at Scarecrow. So does the rest of the Team.

"**…What? I didn't cut out so much that she would die, just enough to make her really uncomfortable. Anyway, I sent it back to her a square inch at a time; I really don't know what her problem with me is…**"

Robin swallows very carefully, then asks his… astonishingly scary older brother- "…May I ask why?"

"**…There are similarities between absolute power and absolute faith: a demand for absolute obedience, a readiness to attempt the impossible, a bias for simple solutions to cut the knot rather than unravel it, the viewing of compromise as surrender... Both absolute power and absolute faith are instruments of dehumanization. Hence, absolute faith corrupts as absolutely as absolute power. Queen Bee believed in the absolute power of her mind-altering pheromones; she had absolute faith in the quality of her skills- I disabused her of those notions, and then I… Made a point.**"

Artemis is the one who asks it quietly, in the sudden silence of the Cave- "Was the point… necessary?"

"**Sadly, yes. I- it might be hard to believe, but I really don't like hurting people. Queen Bee, for all her faults, is a person, not a monster.**" (It is hard to believe; the team has just gone through what Robin had come to know intimately- getting beaten like a drum by his older brother.

Nine times out of ten, the boy's will win in a fight against Robin. That tenth time is when they have to use weapons- since Robin is so much smaller, when he uses his escrima sticks he can move much faster; one of the only times Robin's physical fighting skills best Scarecrow's. Robin is also a better acrobat, and can exert more physical force in his punches… Scarecrow just has longer reach, more experience, and has stopped growing.

If you saw the boys walking down the street, you'd think that he's the quintessential skinny geek- he's six ten, looks like he weighs around a hundred and fifty pounds, thick coke bottle glasses, long face, narrow blue eyes, scruffy unkempt wavy black hair, snagglely teeth, and a nose like the prow of a ship. And you'd be right- the boys are one of the geekiest people on the planet. They are also one of the most dangerous.

They weigh one hundred and ninety pounds dead even- and almost none of that is body fat. They can eat their entire weight in food in under fifty minutes- then do it again three hours later. They can lift almost twice their weight, and can put more force behind a blow than looks like should be possible. Robin and Batman are visibly strong- Scarecrow isn't. Scarecrow relies more on intimidation and psychology to frighten people- but if he needs to beat someone down, he can. Easily. His reach is somewhere around three and a half feet- add to that the six feet of his gaffe, and the four feet from his slungshot… Well. There's a reason the majority of Gotham's criminal underbelly knows better than to go to Narrows to conduct their business; Batman and Robin will beat the hell out of you- Scarecrow and Permafrost will _end_ you.

But the team didn't know that.)

That was the day Robin realized that, while his older brother might be the geekiest, goofiest, dorkiest excuse for a guy in the world- while his older brother might make waffles at midnight, and give quite possibly the best hugs in the world, and read the most raunchily romantic drivel in existence- while he might have had a crush on the same girl since he was fourteen- he's also kinda... crazy. (And just the tiniest bit overprotective, but he's known that since Riddler tried to kidnap him.)

Dick feels the slightest twinge of fear for whoever cast the spell; finishes putting his uniform on, puts Red Hood into a red hoodie, makes sure his shoes are on tightly; answers his phone and has a conversation with his best friend (the crush has withered away at this point- yes, Wally is astonishingly cute, and funny, and kind… but he's also _Wally_; it would be too… weird to go for anything with him.)- "…Wally, pretend I don't speak physicist."

"But you do speak-"

"Wally. Pretend."

"Ugh, fine- somebody used "magic" to vanish all the adults in the world."

"Vanish?"

"Until there is conclusive proof otherwise, yes. Vanish- not destroy, not kill- vanish."

"…Okay."

Robin is hoping that Scarecrow will leave enough of them for him to get a few punches in.

* * *

Platinum Flatts:

Helena is worried. She's also at the Birds of Prey HQ, and… well, if Black Orchid makes one more crack about her protégée, somebody's getting shot. _No, she is not eighteen- and how any of you thought she was…_

Artemis is... concerned. Lian is curled up next to her, still asleep; she's been up all hours with nightmares for a while; she's taken to sleeping in the same bed as her "Aunt D" Artemis. Artemis doesn't mind- she remembers being six, and scared, and how she wished that Jade or Mom would let her sleep in the bed with them more often because there _totally were_ things under the bed, and she's _scared_. Artemis' arm is wrapped around Lian- her soft breaths huff out of her body in steady waves; the thick afghan over them both is woven in shades of orange, yellow, and red.

Right about now, Huntress should be moving around downstairs- just getting back from patrol, putting her things away, showering, and going to bed- maybe a snack. The sounds aren't there. It's… not good, that the sounds aren't there. For one thing, she would be getting a call from another Bird if Helena had bitten off more than she could chew and ended up in the hospital again; if Huntress had needed Artemis' skills- but that would have been a call on her comm. and Helena agreed that Artemis needed to get Lian settled in before she could go around heroing in the night… So. Artemis is… worried. Not worried enough to get up at seven in the morning- but worried.

The soft strains of extremely loud cursing help her realize that, no, Helena not checking in is not an isolated thing- Judging from the dulcet tones of the Atlantean floating through the air… apparently, Roy vanished right when he was about to get Kaldur off for the third time that morning. (Artemis particularly likes the one that translates to "I will cut off their genitals and fuck their faces with them." She never knew Atlantean cursing was so… vicious.) That's enough for her to get out of bed- carefully slide Lian's head off of her stomach, gently tuck her into the soft pale blue sheets, under the burning bright afghan, move her octo-arms around a squishy pillow- takes her bag of superhero stuff with her to the shower. She looks through her many colors of hair dye- picks the dark navy blue, the heavy black- bathes. Dyes her hair to match her uniform; puts it on- skinny jeans in a dark wash, stretchy where they need to be- black socks, heavy duty boots, sleek in their silhouette; cap-sleeved undershirt/bra combo (as seen on TV), in a pale shade of creamy grey- underwear that she knows for a fact will not chafe, ride around, or creep upwards for eight days; overshirt in dark navy, spider-silk and flexi-armor, stylized up-arrow on the chest; gauntlets with feel-through undergloves, heavy padding in her first two fingers, bracing up to the middle of her bicep; a dark blue mask/tiara/thing- internal computer, disguise, comms…

Lian's pattering feet stop just outside of the door- she knocks. "It's open."

Lian opens the door- sees her aunt in her blues; her aunt hasn't put the mask on yet, nor put her arrow belt on; Lian knows- she remembers what this clothing means. "…I'm coming too."

Artemis raises an eyebrow- "You sure?"

Lian nods, dark auburn hair fluttering in the air- "I don't wanna be alone- and you could prolly use sum technic'l support."

"Alright. Suit up- your new togs are under your bed."

" 'Kay." Lian toddles to her bed- which is behind a screen in the same room as Artemis'; reaches under it, tugs out a flatish square box- opens it. Inside is a new mask (her old one covered her entire face) one that covers her face just like Aunt D's, only more… rounded; thick tights, good for sliding on, running in; a dress, skirt to just below her kneecaps, cap sleeves; gloves- thick fingerless outer gloves, thin inner gloves; a new pack- inside is everything that should be there; boots that are sleek looking, and stop just above her ankles; an oblong inside a case- she opens the case to reveal a _compound bow- three kinds of drawstring; a little wonky on the grip- Oh! She didn't… that's- I've never gotten to wrap the grip on my own bow- I'd just outgrow it, but… Aw, Aunt D…_; "The arrows are in this side portion of your pack, See?"

Lian wraps her arms around Artemis- it's the first time, ever, that she's initiated a hug between them. "Thank you, Auntie…" Her voice is muffled, buried in Artemis' soft chest; "You're welcome Sweet Bun- now, check your stuff, make sure everything fits-"

Lian nods, collects herself- "Yes, Auntie." (Everything is in a fetching shade of bluegrey- if you were to look at the two colors Artemis and Speedy wear side by side… Artemis' would be more Vibrant, while Speedy's is more Muted. They're the same color- just different shades.

And, yes, when they go out in the night, Speedy follows Artemis like a duckling; Helena will be very sorry she missed it.)

* * *

Vlatvia:

Count Vertigo is terrified of screwing up his niece's country; yes, his _niece's_ country, because this is not the Vlatvia of his youth, and he is obscenely grateful that he was never picked to rule. He's not entirely sure how his niece does all of this- yes, her "Ruling the Country" journal, notes, and directives are very helpful… he still doesn't know how she does it. _I think I'll leave her to the throne- if this is what it's like every day… I can't imagine why I ever wanted to be a king, this is horrible-_

Perdita is getting dressed. After she composed herself- got her breathing under control, set the Five to work organizing her country into some semblance of order, put James- _No. When he's on the job, his name is Trickster_- Trickster on housesitting (making sure all the utilities- the artisan wells, and the hydro-electrics stay in working order) /babysitting (making sure all the children of the servants are okay- the younger ones are well fed, entertained ect.; the older ones doing the duties their parents would normally be doing) /Queensitting (making sure her Five ate, slept, bathed, and rested) duty.

The first week after the Dervish Soiree, and the receivement of her boon, Perdita had to figure out the hard way how all her powers work- she still is, for some of the subtler ones. What was clear the very first time she… Duplicated, is that even when she is apart, she is connected- what one of her knows, all of her knows. She feels no guilt in leaving the Five of her regular self's behind- someone needs to stay and run her country, and they are her, so… The second week after the Boon, she had a super-suit made; Queen Bee might be a total nutbar, but she always looks good, and her powers help her run (tyrannize) her country- _I am thinking I will use my powers in a more benign way..._

Perdita tugs on an undersuit of Spi-lar and flex-armor (will stop bullets, knives, and blunt force trauma or your money back)- drops the light weight, hunter's green dress over her head, ties the utility belt around her waist; leaves the loose "collar" of the dress down for the moment- she still has a few things she needs to do around the palace that require her face before she goes. (Like having her mid-afternoon snack; yes, her health might be astronomically better... but taking a rest mid-afternoon isn't a bad practice, and she hasn't eaten lunch yet- she knows how to cook for lots of people, so…)

She got a call from Kid Flash earlier- "and I know you have to be busy, but-"

"I will send Logistical Support immediately. Expect assistance in… four hours, or so."

"Wait, don't you need help too-"

"That will not be necessary; I will speak with you soon."

* * *

Perdita carefully pins her hair in two high pigtails- she doesn't have enough hair for a ponytail, and everyone knows the Queen likes to wear her hair down and back- carefully snaps hunter's green bun-covers embroidered with black fractal patterns over each one, to make it look like she might possibly have more hair. She adds bobby pins to the base of each 'tail- _can't be too careful_- opens a special case that just came from Verita, a subsidiary of Wayne Tech. (For ancient legal reasons, Wayne Tech proper isn't actually allowed on Vlatvian soil- neither is the CEO, Bruce Wayne. Damn those Russian Waynes.) It is a visor, like the one worn by her favorite anime character, Maiden Hermes- however the visor is both narrower, as she is not a deformed caricature, and more sharply angled to complement her features; it is in a pale shade of green, with hooks and straps- _these loop over my ears, and the strap goes behind my head like __**that**__ and… oh yes, that works quite nicely._ The computer that she made, the one that went with her to America, which will now be permanently uplinked with her visor is softly humming on her desk (it automatically records however many _Duplicates- dupes for short_ are in existence; it also computes information in the same way Perdita does) is shut, and slid into a specially made case; the case goes over her shoulder, and Perdita Vertigo- Queen Bernice Camilla Edwardine Georgette Maria Danielle Perdita Vertigo- **Logistica** is ready to face the world.

(When James sees her in her full uniform, which is very oddly Nazi-ish- (Vlatvia was never a Nazi-occupied country; it was, however, a Communist state) in the same way a very well-turned out man always looks a bit… _androgynous_- he realizes that yeah, he really is a stand-up kind of guy. Fuck His Life, Goddamn.

(He has a thing for powerful women in uniform- he'd probably hit on Amanda Waller, if they ever met.))


	57. Chapter 53

Gotham:

Red Hood doesn't like being left at the computer. Yes, he knows that it's important to tell Robin where stuff is happening- but he wants to be out there… and it's scary in the cave. Which is why, when a girl introduces herself as "Oracle, Natch" he engages in conversation- what, like he wouldn't.

"…Hiya. Wha- How can I help you, Miss Oracle?"

"You could start by introducing yourself, Mr.-"

"Red Hood. How may I help you, Miss Oracle?"

Somewhere across town, Barbara Gordon smiles into her headset- the Girls called her earlier, and told her the news; she usually took herself to school on the bus, and actually didn't see her dad until dinner unless something was wrong- today is Sunday, the day her dad usually sleeps in. She wouldn't have noticed anything amiss until dinner, when her dad didn't show up- the Girls called her at four in the morning- "Oracle we've got a major malfunction on our hands."

"Guh? S-spoiler? 'Sfour inthemorninguh-"

"Yeah! I know! So, Me an Kit-"  
"Kit and I-"  
"Right, we're on the job-"  
"Thieving-"  
"Natch, an' all the biggers up an gone, Oracle, gone like a channel switch."

"So… wait, how'd y'know the biggers were gone?"

"Well, they was shootin' at us-"  
"Spoiler! Did y'even use my comp-prog?"  
"Oi, the prog you gave us worked a dream- but dog's hain' compy's yeah?"

"Shit. There were dogs?"

"Yeah- Black Cat said that the dogs were new additions- unregistered, 'cuz they was fighting dogs-"  
"Ah."  
"Yeah. So- all the adults are gone? You're sure?"

"Fa- check the comms ifn' you dun believe me, Oracle."

She had- no one was there; she checked the CCTV cameras- empty streets; _Reminds me of an episode of Specialist What- the one where everyone melts into clouds of Gases…_

* * *

Fast-forward to this afternoon- _Hello, what's this? A signal- it's pretty nicely encrypted, but…_- and this conversation is happening.

"Mr. Red Hood, you can help me by sending your boy over to Jekyll and fiftieth- there's a group of fifteen year-olds about to go joyriding…"

Robin showed Red Hood how to look around the city with the Bat-linked cameras- "I see 'em; I'm sending Robin now. Stay on the line with me, Ms. Oracle? I'm very alone over here, and your voice is rather nice to listen to…"

A soft giggle of feminine laughter- "I'm happy to, Mr. Red Hood… Your voice isn't so bad either."

(The thing is, both children are speaking through Vocal Encoding Devices; Oracle sounds like a little old woman with only a passing acquaintance with sanity- Red Hood sounds like a six foot tall eighties porn-star.)

* * *

Belle Reeve:

The thing most people never really keep in mind about Joar Mahkent or his son, Cameron, is that both are members of the League of Shadows. (Oh yes, they are.) They aren't ranking members- Cameron, especially isn't- but they _are_ members. So- no, Icicle Sr. isn't worried about his son. He can handle himself. (His son doesn't know that his father trusts him to handle himself in all situations- his father doesn't know that his son doesn't know he is trusted; when Captain Marvel "fixes" the communication issues between the two worlds a few hours after the splitting, that becomes abundantly clear.

Only a son seeking his father's approval- only a man unsure of who he is and where he stands- only Cameron "Fucking Dumbass" Mahkent would be crazy enough to take on Ravager- yes, _the_ Ravager (but not the one you might be thinking of), Unarmed. Injured. And Depowered.

(Only Cameron "Fucking Dumbass" Mahkent would win.)

And, yes, it was one of the coolest things on TV at the time- the other channels were just as good, but this was the "Homefront" station, as it were.)

* * *

The Mississippi Federal Penitentiary (MFP, also known as Belle Reeve, and nicknamed the "Hell of the South" and "The Freakshow") is a prison farm in Mississippi operated by the Federal Metahuman Bureau of Defense. It is the largest official maximum security prison in the United States dedicated to the detainment of metahuman's in the country with 500 offenders and 1,800 staff. It is located on an 18,000 acre (73 km²) property that was previously the Belle Reeve plantation owned by Ishmael Arkham (no, he didn't escape the curse either) in unincorporated West Daniel Parish, directly adjacent to the state line. The prison is located at the end of Federal Highway 66, around 22 miles (35 km) southwest of St. Baconsville and 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Dellville, Mississippi. Belle Reeve is bordered on all sides by the vilest, most evil, and vermin infested swampland in the world- no clean water or shade for thirty miles in any direction; if you manage to get out of Belle Reeve, you'll very likely die of starvation, typhus, heatstroke, or be consumed by wild-demon alligators. (No- that's entirely serious.) As of four years ago, Amanda Waller is the warden. The State of Mississippi's death row for men and the state execution chamber are there. In the State of Mississippi, the names "Mississippi Federal Penitentiary" and "Belle Reeve," the name of the post office that serves the prison, are used interchangeably.

* * *

Cameron Mahkent is… a little worried. No, it isn't about the fact that all the adults are gone- that'll probably work itself out soon enough. And, no, it isn't the fact that his roomie, Len, has vanished- he's a nice enough guy, but… a little pedantic. His across-the-hall roommate, Thomas Tferore, is panicking; that doesn't really change when the Shadow leaps off of the ceiling and decides to try to kill him. (That's not what's worrying him.)

He's actually been expecting the Shadows to come after him for a while- he's one of the only people still In who openly associates with Artemis- the old Alice. He's one of the only people still findable who knows who Alice "is"; knows where to find her, knows how to put a Leverage on her. Of course they want to kill him. Honestly, he's been expecting this for months…

Of course, he never dreamed that he rates getting The Ravager sent after him, but- whatever. He's not worried about that either- he stays on his cot, long legs stretched out orange in front of him, when the plastic explosives blast a hole in the door of his cell. He leaves his arms under his head, only opens his eyes half-way-

"What the hell is he doing?"

Joar's voice rumbles out into the hushed yard. "Wait, and see."

-rolls toward the woman in the orange and black suit, the woman who just almost plunged a knife where his upper ribcage was. Lands on his elbows- scrunches his knees up under him, uses his arm to slam Ravager's knee sideways, scuttles out of the cell. Rolls out in front of Thomas' cell (he's gone very quiet), rolls to the side, dodging knives coming through the jagged hole where his cell door used to be; one embeds itself almost all the way through the plexi-steel that makes the door of Thomas' cell-

* * *

"Okay, who the hell is that?"

"That's The Ravager- it's one of the titles in… an organization I know of; in a regular corporation, The Ravager would be… The Hatchet Man, I think. The former Ravager, the one you see onscreen, was a she, and somewhere between the ages of fourteen and seventeen. Her preferred method of… _ending a contract_was with a precision strike to the heart, generally from the front. She used extremely sharp throwing knives as a distance weapon, a vicious style of fighting for close quarters, and extreme intimidation to further her employer's agenda."

"…Why are you speaking in the past tense?"

Joar Mahkent smiles. "Watch."

* * *

-Cameron dodges backwards, jumps a sweeping kick- brings his knees down on Ravager's hooked knee. He misses, rolls to one side- not before she opens a line of red on his upper arm; his hand snakes around her wrist, grips it tightly; jerks her forwards and down slashing cut on her upper shoulder. Twist back, the knife is on the floor now, and his arm is really starting to hurt- she punches him in the face once he punches back- shifts her wrist in his grip squeeze down as hard as he can, her wrist shatters in his grip she _**screams**_-

* * *

"What did he just-"

"Wrist breaking move, now watch the damn TV."

* * *

-doge her other arm, she's not happy about that wrist break, thought this would be easy (He's played with the Alice most of his life, he's no free shot); frog kick to the ribs coming up, lower shoulder bend waist let her foot fly over his head; his hand on that knife on the floor lift and flashes out into the side of her thigh; artery sliced-

* * *

"Wha-"

"Femoral Artery. She'll be dead in a minute, at her size."

"But-"

"Shh!"

* * *

-and she's normal pale unconscious in thirty seconds because her internal pressure dropped, and she's paler dead in another thirty, she's smaller than Artemis. (Artemis isn't actually all that tall- maybe four foot five on her tallest days; the adult body has somewhere between seven and twelve pints of blood. A person can lose around two and one fourth pints of blood before they die. The smaller you are, the less you have.) Cameron slowly falls backwards, warm pale peachy wetness on his side-

* * *

"What the hell is that?"

Joar's eyebrows have quirked. "…Looks like a stomach wound; when'd he get it though…"

* * *

-Cameron is in terrible pain. His voice is a raggedy exhalation- "Fuck. 've pulled m'stitches." Thomas- Tommy hears his whisper, growls out "Fuck, Cam- You pulled your stitches, didn't you? Fuck! FU- Okay, so; if you can pick your dumbshit ass up off the floor and get me out of this cell, I'll stitch you up again just- Fuck, Cameron. FUCK."

"Yeah yeah yeah-"  
"Don't you 'yeah yeah yeah' me, you stupid sack of shit-"

* * *

-"Are they gay?"

"No."

* * *

-Cameron shoves himself up onto his feet, unties the satchel on the dead body's back; takes the clay-white explosive compound out of the bag, smears it over the plexi-steel door, attaches thin wires and a timer to the mixture; sets it. Staggers over to the body-

* * *

"He's not gonna-"

"Yep."

* * *

-flops ungracefully over it, grips it in his arms, rolls over. (The explosion whites out the screen for about twelve seconds. Nobody in the yard moves- not even the guards. This is some quality television.) Sound is the first thing to return- the clatter of Tommy, stepping through the blasted carcass of his cell door, stocky legs kicking larger pieces of broken door out of his way; the thump and rustle of ruined lump of flesh shifting around- the camera sees Cameron's shock of white-blond hair poking woozily over the simple cover-

* * *

"Damn."

"Uh-huh."

* * *

-Tommy's less than pleased expression. "That was some stupid shit, right there."

"Mmmmnnn."

"Can you stand?"

"Neh."

Tommy sighs. "Hang on, then." He toes the half melted body off of Cameron, who has gone grey with pain, scoops his arm side body up- starts walking. "You're a fucking dumbass, you know that?"

"Guh."-

* * *

"Twenty bucks says he eats it after the commercial break."

"You're on."

* * *

-"You're a fucking dumbass, you know that Cam?"

"A-"

"No. First, you don't tell me about the Shadows trying to kill you-"  
"A-"  
"Then, you fight, and _kill_ The Ravager, which is very stupid politically speaking-" ("Was very cool, actually-" "Shut it, bro.")  
"A-"  
"Then, whilst you fight one of the most lethal assassins in the world, you rip out the stitches holding the remains of your intestines in your body out-"  
"A-"  
"AND THEN, to top it off, you _lie to me about it._ Have I missed anything?"

Cameron sighs. "I missed you too, A."-

* * *

"So- the girl with the blue hair is…"

"His girl."

"The pale blond?"

"His friend's sister."

"The tan blond?"

"His girl's friend."

"Ah."

* * *

-Aqualad is quietly making the aquaintence of the "Terror Twins"- Tommy, the younger, is quite nice; Tuppence, the elder, is rather crazy. He likes them both.

"A- not that it's not good to see you, but what the hell are you doing here?"

"Busting you three out, duh."

Cameron's head tips to one side.

"Don't look at me like that. The adults won't be back for three weeks, Cam. This Pen's only got enough energy for two more days."

Cameron blinks at her.

"Oh, yeah- and since you killed Ravager, Shiv's going to be after you. He'll be here in… about four hours."

"When can we leave?"

"Now."

* * *

-"Who is Shiv?"

"Ravager's man. My boy killed her- he'll be wanting his pound of flesh. Very hard to kill."


	58. Interlude 6

I'm not sure where I heard this nickname, but it surely works.

* * *

**Fuck your princely-ness, Hellspawn!**

Damian "Hellspawn" Wayne is on the ground, moaning. For him, this is a very odd occurrence- usually, he's the one putting people on the ground. However, as his four older brothers will happily tell you, "It's about damn time someone knocked the little brat on his ass."

What only Damian knows is why, exactly, she just kicked him in the goolies- she's tall, and athletic, and if he's being honest, very very beautiful. Her name is Stephanie. She hates his guts. (If he's being completely honest, which is rare, it's probably because he's called her "fat" one too many times.)

What Damian doesn't know is that Stephanie's teammate, Carrie, got the entire thing on film. Of particular note is the way Stephanie got him to hold still and drop his guard long enough to put a shin in his crotch; "Oh. If it isn't the fat-girl."

Stephanie stops dead. She's been trying really hard- Permafrost asked her to give Damian some time to learn some manners, but… But. She's a Gotham Girl- born, bred, and trained. There is some shit they won't take- Damian's shit is of particular abhorrence. She arches her back, putting her… _assets_on prominent display; thin rivulets of water slink down her night-dark suit; a slip of pink tongue licks across burning red lips. Damian swallows convulsively. (That's one.)

She doesn't say anything- just rolls her hips forwards; stalks towards him with all the predatory grace of a hungry cat; long lean legs that go all the way up; low boot-heels clacking into the concrete of the cave floor; snarky, sneering smirk on her cutely arranged face. Her long legs and swinging hips bring her close enough to Damian that their breath intermingles- Damian's legs stutters backwards, away from Stephanie until his back is pressed into the dura-glass case lining the wall of the Cave. (That's two.)

Stephanie's small, perky breasts press into Damian's firm chest; long curving body wriggles into his- Damian feels the first sudden rush of teenage hormones- he's thirteen, so it's about time. (She is too, so it's okay. Shh.) Her face is inches from his, her lips just barely brushing across the space where his are; he feels a soft thrumming in his chest. "Damian-" her voice a liquid silk across tightly strung threads; baby rabbit fur over velvety smooth cheeks; "what exactly is so wrong with being-" she inhaled, did interesting things to the pit of his stomach, breasts rising and falling, sweet-scented breath singing out across his face _Oh __**god**_"-well-fed?" And then her lips found his in a warm, deep kiss. (Yes, she might hate his vainglorious guts- but he's also fucking hot and… not that bad of a kisser, to be honest.) (That's three.)

There was a timeless moment of magic; then she gently tugged herself away from him. His eyes had closed sometime during the kiss- they fluttered open, deep pools of blue gone sea-dark with desire; Stephanie's half-closed amber-brown eyes glint in the light coming from behind Damian's head. Her lips were half open from the kiss- her tongue gently slipped back into her mouth; it closed, red lips warm and soft _So very soft _curving up into a smile without teeth. Then her shin is in his crotch and he's fallen on his face. He has just enough presence of mind to watch her walk away, light gently caressing the curves of her body. She stops, looks back over her shoulder, and says "I hope you will forgive my horrible rudeness", smiles, and saunters away. (You're out.)

Later his brothers will laugh at his plight; even Johnny- although, Johnny will also advise him to try and make amends with her, not let his (lack of a) love-life fester like Jason, or let things go as far as Matt or Terry have let them go.


	59. Chapter 54

Gotham:

Batman is pathetically grateful that his eldest, Scarecrow, is still with him- his second might be… might not be there, but once the shock wore off, Johnny proved to be a capable young man. (Bruce thinks the screaming demon-skull mouth on the "rocket firing" part of the rocket launcher was a nice touch.) Alfred is recording all the channels- he seemed to have a particular liking for the Trifecta (Central/Keystone/Dervish); he's been following the Dervish goings on for "months". (Oddly, a month in Dervish time is a few hours in Gotham time- something to do with mystical convergences or something like that. Good television, regardless.)

Robin is ducking a blow from some punk kid when a blue punching-arrow comes out of nowhere, and knocks his opponent down and out. A flurry of icicles later, and suddenly, Icicle Jr, Artemis, and two others are in the fight with him. The fight itself is over in moments.

Robin asks it- yes, he knows who the others are, but Artemis is the one in charge. "Artemis, why are you in Gotham?"

"I'm not allowed in Central-" Icicle Jr. glances at her sideways- _How did you manage that one, A?_ "-and KF needs your help."

Robin's mask has quirked. "What does he need _my_ help for?"

"He told me to tell you that the place he has to go once a year won't let him in more than once a year." Artemis is repeating verbatim what Kid Flash told her to tell Robin- does she _understand_ what she's telling him? Nope.

Robin understands what he was just told. "…One second." Robin fiddles with his glove-computer; in Central, Kid Flash answers his satellite connected earbud- "…Ye-llo?"

"KF, why is Artemis telling me about the need for me to go to the place you can only go once a year? Instead of you?"

"Because I'm currently watching all of my cousins, my little brother, my city, trying to figure out why all the adults in the world vanished, and am only allowed through that city's gates once per year?"

"And you think I'm _not_?"

"…I can't send over my preferred second, because she's babysitting my peeps, but there is someone else I can send in my stead if you won't go-"

"Who?"

"Tangent."

"NO."

"Dude, come on, she's a really good heroine and she can do it-"

"I really don't think that's a good plan, bro..." Robin heaves a long-suffering sigh. "Send her to me, I'll have her babysit my bro; I'll go."

"But Rob, you hate her and anyway I can keep her here even though she's starting to really piss Peek-a-boo off, and I need her to not be pissed off and-"

"Dude. It's fine. Send her here- I'll... I'll deal."

"Thank you! She'll be there in a few seconds. Sorry, Bro."

"Great." Robin's face had taken on a pallor of extreme distaste- Tangent, while a competent heroine is also… _obnoxious_. There is a flicker of a girl shape next to him- Robin straightens up, begins to type something on his holo-screen. The shape solidifies into a girl in a shirt-skirt combo modeled off of a cheerleader's outfit; there is a sunburst on her chest, and her curly strawberry blond hair is up in a messy ponytail. She didn't stop talking when she left Central, and she was still going when she got to Gotham; "-and did you know that Cats are extremely sensitive to vibrations so cats are said to detect earthquake tremors 10 or 15 minutes before humans can or that Richard Cadbury produced the first box of chocolates for Valentine's Day in the late 1800s or how about the fact that because it's classified as a G2 dwarf due to its size, heat, and chemical makeup, the sun is a medium-sized star and a G star is cool i.e. between 5,000-6,000 on the Kelvin temperature scale and has a complex chemistry, which means its makeup includes chemicals heavier than helium-" He flashes the typed out co-ordinates in front of her; she nods, and then there is another flicker of girl shaped light, and she's gone.

Artemis' eyes have bulged, froglike, from her head- "Who. Was. That. ?" Cameron is biting his knuckles as hard as he dares- the Terror Twins have fallen over, laughing.

Robin answers, grudgingly. "**That** was Tangent."

Cameron pushes down his laughter long enough to ask- "Does that happen often?"

Robin almost, almost says something nasty. "That's just the way she rolls."

The Terror Twins have almost gotten back to their feet- Robin's pronouncement sends them back into paroxysms of near hysterical laughter.

* * *

Across town, Cass- Black Cat is having a major crisis of morals- on the one hand, she should just leave the four people who are sleeping alone. Her sisters worked hard for barely nothing, and the two boys _are_ sick- it wouldn't be sporting to take embarrassing pictures. On the other hand, she's never played fair in her life, so why should she start now?

Which is how a set of negatives portraying Carrie Fischer and Damian Alexander al Ghul (Wayne) and Stephanie not!Brown and Damian Marcus Kyle (Wayne) cuddled up around each other, sleeping in a large bed of flower petals, went into Cass' special reserve of blackmail material; yes, they were all half-naked, and no, she'll probably never use any of them. But she has them, if she needs them. (Tim- Red Robin, the sneaky bastard, got video of them, and refused to share.)

How did this awe-inspiringly strange (adorable) moment in time come to be? Well, there are a few things you need to know to understand the situation- how the half-brothers Damian and Damian came to be; how comprehensive the traps protecting the Stray Cats Home are; how sweet natured Carrie and Stephanie are- and, oddly, certain details about one of the building codes in Gotham.

Firstly, the Damian's. Damian Marcus Kyle (Wayne) is the product of a fling from ten years ago, when Selina Kyle was living in Cairo and Bruce Wayne was learning certain survival skills; he was in the city to learn how to vanish in a crowd of people who looked nothing like him; Selina was stealing a set of cats-eye emeralds from a museum, escaping through a shop he was passing by- she needed to lose her pursuers, and slipped herself under his arm, pretended to be his girlfriend. Co-incidentally, this allowed Bruce to slip his handlers- they were on the look-out for a single foreign man, not a foreign couple on holiday. Of course, when Selina tried to bail on Bruce, she found that his hand was gripping her belt, skirt, and panties- skip ahead a few hours, and Selina is languid next to Bruce, long limbs limply coiling with his. (He was nineteen- she was too.) Five wonderful days later, and Selina needed to move on, she's already stayed longer than she meant to- and Bruce's trainers have found him again. _Damn- I wish I had caught her name._

Selina would be in St. Petersburg when she realized that she was five months pregnant, and- _Hmm. There was only one guy five months ago- I wish I had caught his name._ She didn't get an abortion because she, simply put, didn't have the time for it; it eventually got too unwieldy to slip in and out of places in her… sensitive state, so she turned her hand to electronic theft- not as fun for her, but just as lucrative. Five years later, and she's very glad she chose to have that baby- her son- it's very nice, having a kid around her house… yes, she had to tone down the theft and general larceny, but she also got to raise her baby boy, which is very nice. (Her parents never took the time with her- she swore she would do better- she hopes to god that she did better.) And, when he turns seven, he's finally trained enough to start going out with her, and that's even better. By ten years old, she's okay with him going out on jobs all by his lonesome- which is how he fell through the trap door in Home into the icy waters below.

Damian Alexander al Ghul (Wayne) is the product of a test tube and his mother's injured pride. (He doesn't know that- he thinks it's a failed relationship that produced him; technically, he's correct.) Bruce, after he finished his training in Cairo (four days after his "moment" with Selina), went to Baghdad for a little rest and relaxation; Talia al Ghul was there too, trying to… "recruit" people into her father's employ. The young Wayne fit her profile for people who would be into a _shadowy_ realm of endeavor. There was a fight- a house was completely destroyed. Bruce Wayne's blood got spattered all over the place- less than a pint all together, but. But. That's more than enough to make a baby with- and Talia is a proud woman. (He said no. He very clearly said no. Talia doesn't take no for an answer.)

Skip ahead ten years, and Damian Alexander al Ghul is one of the most comprehensively trained Shadows in the world; he's been on his own for four of those years- his "mother" doesn't really... His mother isn't really the mothering type, he knows that, he understands, he does. He just wishes that- he just wants his mother to be… be **proud** of him. Is that so wrong, to want his mother's approval, or even her to notice him? (No, that isn't a wrong thing to want. He won't get it, not in this world or any other- in his heart, he knows it. (In his heart, he knows he's been lied to- in his heart, he knows his mother doesn't care. Cats and kittens and something went wrong, so very wrong.) He has a father too- he knows where his father can be found. Perhaps, perhaps- perhaps he can maybe possibly make his father proud of him. Maybe.) His business in Gotham was to track down, capture, and/or destroy the one called Cassandra Cain -_I don't really want to do this, mother doesn't care what I do, doesn't care if I live or die and I'm good but not good enough to take on Cassandra Cain, not if she's been on her own since she was three and they've never gotten her back, no I can't take her on or out and live, maybe it's because- oh, god, it's because I slipped I slipped and she they someone who works for her saw and they told her and she sent me to find the girl and fight and die for nothing, I am expendable god __**DAMN**__ you __mother__ care you nothing for your only son, your flesh your blood had you asked me to die I would have cast myself into the fires of hell for you but this for this you will not control me again you will not lie to me like this again_- he had tracked her to a small area in the "Mid-Town" area, and was doing reconnaissance on an old Ice Cream factory when he fell through a well hidden trap door in the wall, down a chute, and into the coldest water he's ever had the misfortune to be dropped into.

(Interestingly, the half-brothers were born only three days apart.)

* * *

Secondly, the comprehensive traps protecting the Stray Cats Home. The Home of the Stray Cats started out as a small niche between two massive smokestacks- and then, Stephanie began to wonder just what those smokestacks connected to. So, after letting her sibs know where she was going, she went spelunking (spelunking- the act of exploring a cave). What she found made her very, very excited. "Guys! Y'gata come'n see this, y'gata com'n see!"

Carrie calls down the flume "Spoi! Wat'chu find?"

"Found sommin' good! Y'gata see this!" Spoiler's voice echoes up the sooty flume- she's found a gigantic factory. When Black Cat, Kitten, and Red Robin carefully make their way down into the gloomy, cold (stunningly cold) factory floor, they all have to take a moment to admire the massive space. Oracle looks up the address' history for them- discovers that the factory was an _Ice Cream_ Factory.

* * *

Whether it's being made in a kitchen with a hand crank, at a local homemade ice cream shop with a stand-alone ice cream maker, or in a factory that cranks out thousands of gallons of ice cream every day, the process of making ice cream is basically the same. The only difference is the scale of the operation.

First, you need ice cream mix. You can buy commercially made ice cream mix that is set to a certain milk fat content. Ice cream factories usually make their own mix by combining milk, cream and sugar in a 3,000 gallon vat, with the proportions and mixing controlled by computers. The Factory- which would become known as the Underspace- went out of business in the mid-eighties; there are a set of massive computer banks in a room overlooking gigantic barrel-like vessels with smooth insides on even larger hinges, like in a steel-mill; massive ropes of cabling running to panels connected to eldritch machinery that rises above the gigantic curving bowls, mechanized arms lowering down into the curving base of those massive vats. (Cass will never admit it, but she really likes the old-fashioned swashbuckling adventure of "Doma the Barbarous"- what, a girl can't like a sword carrying hero fighting off all manner of ghoul, beast, and vicious monster lusting for the flesh of the innocent?- when she shyly tells the boys this, they introduce her to the "Gilma, Warrior Queen" series, which she also adores, but for very different reasons- women kicking the same abominable ass, looking good, and taking all comers in a socio-political arena known for its backstabby ways? My god, she loves it.)

The mix is then pasteurized, or heated, to kill any harmful bacteria. If you were to make your own mix at home, you could pasteurize it by cooking it in a double boiler, or use an egg substitute or pasteurized egg product. This step is important, because otherwise people who eat your homemade ice cream could get sick due to salmonella contamination. According to the Centers for Disease Control, those most at risk include the elderly, very young children, and people with compromised immune systems. In the Underspace, there are massive coils of electrical heating elements under gigantic trenches which are connected to the vats by way of prodigiously huge sluices with gates- Stephanie got into the Underspace through an open part of the venting system from the original heating source, a gigantic furnace, now defunct.

The next step in production is adding flavor to the mix. There are thousands of varieties of ice cream, so just about any combination of flavors is possible. From vanilla to cinnamon, chocolate to triple chocolate fudge brownie, it all gets blended into the ice cream mix. In a factory, this step takes place in vats that hold hundreds of gallons of ice cream, while giant steel paddles do the mixing. In your kitchen, a large bowl and a food mixer will work, or even a wooden spoon and muscle power if you want some exercise. Solid chunks such as pieces of fruit, chocolate chunks, marshmallows, and candy are added later. A massive bank of cases, several stories high, mechanized scoops gleaming like chompy birds mouths over the lidless tops- the cases have clear sides, and are very obviously empty, but somehow, the smell of candies and crushed nuts permeates the strange space, below Home.

This is where an ice cream making machine comes into play. The mix has to be simultaneously frozen and whipped. In a factory, this happens in a giant tube surrounded by pipes. The pipes contain chemicals such as ammonia that freeze the tube, but the ammonia never comes into contact with the ice cream. The ice cream mix is pumped through the tube, where it gets cold very quickly. A dasher, or blade, turns inside the tube. This whips the mixture, introducing the air bubbles that help give ice cream its structure. The dasher also scrapes the sides of the tube, clearing off ice crystals that form there. This prevents large ice crystals from ruining the flavor and texture of the ice cream. All the elements of this process are carefully monitored and controlled by computers. Most homemade ice cream shops use a batch freezer for this step, where the same process happens on a smaller scale. This step can be accomplished at home with a rock salt/ice mixture for freezing and a hand or electric cranked dasher to mix and scrape off the ice crystals. There are pipes covered over with frost and icicles in the Underspace- pipes the size of ancient tree trunks gone filmy, rimed with ice and coldness; it is from these massive pipes the room gains its general air of frigidity.

Once the ice cream has come out of the ice cream maker, the process isn't finished. At this point, the mixture is frozen, but still soft. Large chunks of candy and other goodies are now added. Then the ice cream is placed into containers. Factory machines pour it straight into cartons or buckets, or it can be extruded into shapes that have wooden sticks placed into them for individual treats. (You really need to ask? Of course all this was there. Cass would refit certain machines to blow a thick, sludgy mist- in every color except white.)

Now the ice cream needs to be reduced to a very low temperature, zero degrees Fahrenheit or below. Factories make it even colder since they need the ice cream to stay frozen while it is packaged and loaded onto trucks. It needs to be very cold to freeze the ice cream quickly and prevent the formation of large ice crystals. This process is known as hardening. "Soft-serve" is often simply ice cream that has not gone through this process. There is a gigantic blast freezer- the biggest, coldest space inside Underspace.

(What is the Underspace, exactly? The Underspace is one part protective measure, one part training space, one part murderous death trap, one part villainous lair. Mix with maniacal laughter for perverse effect. Limit one per Home.)

What does the process of making ice cream have to do with the protective measures protecting Home for the Stray Cats? Well, you can't make a three-thousand gallon sub-zero dunk tank without having some way of cooling all that water- the humongous vats, with their smooth, smooth interiors, are the perfect starting point. A little TLC, a metric fuck-ton of elbow grease, and a rather spectacular amount of engineering later, and Cass has developed a system by which intruders attempting to enter Home will be dropped into an ice topped tank of viciously cold water, drown catch hypothermia, and die. Which brings us to the two Damian's attempting to sneak into Home- Catboy (Damian Marcus Kyle (Wayne)) wanted to find the source of one of the only electrical signals still working in the area; Kid Shiva (Damian Alexander al Ghul (Wayne)) was searching for Cassandra Cain, to beg her help in escaping the Shadows. Both young men fell into the icy waters of the Home Defense Dunk-tank- both young men were fished out of the tanks by Spoiler and Kitten.

* * *

Thirdly, the sweet natures of Stephanie not!Brown and Caroline Fischer Kelly. Stephanie is a girl who would be happiest in a small town, raised by people like John and Martha Kent- but she wasn't, she isn't. She was born in Gotham- a home birth, because her parents refused to shell out the money on a hospital visit. Did her mother care about her when she was born? She must have, she must have, she wouldn't be there if her mother hadn't… but why- why did she stop?

Well, and so her father made it clear that he didn't care and her mother had stopped caring –found something else to care about in a syringe, at the bottom of a bottle on the floor drooling in her own vomit stinky stench foul- and she's got to look out for herself if they won't, and they won't. She got a Tim Woods brand purple hoodie, jeans, and t-shirt for her birthday, her final straw; she asked for a Maiden Aphrodite bicycle helmet. She got Tim Woods brand clothing, which doesn't come in children's sizes, it only comes in adult sizes and they got her purple, which makes her look like a cadaver, and everything is in size five times too big, she'll never fit those clothes while they're in style, and she got shoes that were the right size but for a boy and she knew they don't care, they don't care- she still has them, it's still a damn fine set of clothing to hero in- it's also very nice to "go to work" (steal) in. (Cass took a few things in for her, added some belts and ties and hidden buttons, hemmed sleeves and pants and added stitching for where she could let things back out fuller for when she grew up out around- Carrie taught her how to hide things in her many many many pockets all over her body.) She left her- that place and those people behind and no she's never going back, not if she can help it.

She might not be in that place anymore- but she's not in that place anymore, which means… If she's not in that place anymore, then she'll have to help people more than just if they're being mugged or nearly raped or almost murdered- so, when the boy falls into Vat # 4 with a blood-curdling shriek, she makes herself grab the scoop-hook, and forces herself into a run up the stairs onto the overlooking catwalk (heh), fishes out a boy about her age. She's a tad perturbed- he's not armored, not even a little bit, _I'm armored on the sides of my legs at least- does he really not fight at all? Either way, his jumpsuit is way too thin- he needs to get out of these wet clothes immediately, or he'll die of hypothermia-_ While her fertile mind has raced through a diagnosis of the Mystery Boy, her body has helpfully staggered them both over to the interior elevator, yanked the pull, and was quickly feeling out the pulls and tags on his bodysuit and undoing them- Carrie joined her with her own unconscious Mystery Boy; together, they rode the elevator back up to Home.

Carrie Fischer would never have fit in in a small town; she has always belonged to the city- heart, soul, body, mind- the city calls to her like nothing else. She could have had better parents, but who couldn't? She tries not to dwell on it- she's been looking out for just herself for the longest time, and then she met her sisters (and baby brother, but they're pretty sure he counts as a girl too) and she started to- god help her, she started to _care_. So, when the heavily armored boy falls through Chute # 9 into Vat # 7, she doesn't run like Spoiler does- she carefully walks over to the catchy-hook-pole-thing rack, picks the heavy gauge one that's used for when the paddles fall into the vats- hey, it happened often enough for there to be a hooked pole for it (it's actually a padded gaffe)- slips up the stairs to the catwalk (shut up, Stephanie, it isn't that funny), fishes out the heavy boy- _God, you really fight a lot don't you? Jeeze, what, a sword, a breast-plate, chain-mail; fuck, this stuff should have drowned you- but you're still breathing, so I'll take you Upstairs on the Elevator and fix you up I guess-_

The Elevator, for those who would inquire, (like Stephanie and Carrie) is the Elevator that Cass- who else, really- refitted. That elevator used to be a bucket elevator.

(An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building or other structures. Elevators are generally powered by electric motors that either drive traction cables, counterweight systems like a hoist, or pump hydraulic fluid to raise a cylindrical piston like a jack. In agriculture and manufacturing, an elevator is any type of conveyor device used to lift materials in a continuous stream into bins or silos. Several types exist, such as the chain-and-bucket bucket elevator, grain auger screw conveyor (using the principle of Archimedes' screw), or the chain and paddles/forks of hay elevators. Languages other than English may have loanwords based on either elevator or lift. Because of wheelchair access laws, elevators are often a legal requirement in new multistory buildings, especially where wheelchair ramps would be impractical.)

This means that, while the Elevator connecting Underspace to Home might be one of the fastest in the world- it's also one of the most dangerous. But that's a different anecdote that will be discussed in great detail later. Right now, the two girls are dragging the two boys into the mudroom of their Home- a tiled space done in soothing blue-green, with a big farm sink to one side, massive washer, dryer, and big fold-up tables leaning on the wall; shelving that came from an abandoned library, filled with clothing and sheets, long ladder leading up to the glass topped ceiling, far, far above them. This is where the four make their first stop- the girls divest the boys of their clothing, quickly rub them down with warm, fluffy towels. Lift them up, carry them upstairs again- this time up a long ladder, strongly bolted to the ground. The girls pass the weight room on the ground floor- no, not a room full of dumb-bells and the like, but a room full of bricks, lead weights, and canisters of dense material. (Cass.) They start to climb up, passing a bathroom, a kitchen, a library/computer lab, a sewing room, and finally make it to the top, and the bedrooms.

* * *

The boys are cool to the touch- not just their hands and feet, but on their bellies and chests as well, waxy pale cold cold too damn cold. Red Robin- Tim, tells them what to do. "Ho'kay. So- y'needta take off yur clothin' and cuddle up- focus on der middles, not the edges." The girls look at him weirdly- Tim sighs, and says "Der too cold fer hot stuff otter'den persons- and ya clothing is all wet and shiv'ry too. Y'all saved em from th'waters- so now you gotta save em from th'cold."

Carrie looks over at Stephanie- Stephanie just shrugs. Cass, ever helpful, has rolled back the thick blankets on the large central bed (for when the nightmares are too much) and yanked the flower petal patterned sheets back; they smell like vanilla and soap- the girls smell like sweat and grunge and dried blood and gardenias (Stephanie's soaps don't stop smelling good just because the body that used them to wash got all gunky and weird)- Stephanie flops the cold limp still-breathing body of Damian Kyle (Wayne) onto one side, and starts to yank her Tim Woods clothing off, piles it on the floor; she's been wearing it for two days straight, she needed to change anyway, and she hasn't slept right in like, a week, not since she called Oracle the first time.

Carrie rips the Velcro of her neck strap open, draws the zipper of her stripy spotty jumpsuit down (She designed one for every day of the week, a set for all terrains and all weathers- she hasn't slept right either; the city is too damn quiet for her. Too still.) shoves the cold breathing body of Damian al Ghul (Wayne) onto the other side of the bed, wiggles the rest of the jumpsuit off, peels out of her boots and gloves- Stephanie, on the other side is doing the same; both girls climb into the bed with the boys, cuddle up to them. Cass, who's still being suspiciously helpful, had vanished downstairs for some short moment- popped her head back into the Bedrooms level of Home, plopped hot water bottles wrapped with tea towels and chemical heaters in tube socks all around them both; the sweet, soothing scents of coconut and lavender barely there in the warm pouches nestled all around them- sweet green apple smell gently diffusing from a candle somewhere- "Thanks Black." "Thanks Black."

"Night."

(All this took place around three days before Robin went to Dervish.)

Fourthly, a building code in Gotham- which won't matter until a little later, so we'll skip ahead some, to when Robin left for the Trifecta- by the time he gets back to Gotham, the building code will be relevant to the story. (I'll explain it then, so don't worry, okay?)


	60. Chapter 55

Central:

Kid Flash didn't call Perdita until the fourth day of the second week- he had things to do, okay, and she did too, obviously… and he honestly thought that all the adults would be back before then. What, like he's the only quantum physics/chemistry geek in the world with a vested interest in the restoration of the natural order to the world? No, he isn't- he's just the only one in either world with enough time to work out what to do, and the only one with enough straight up know-how to get things the fuck done. Factor this, if you will- in the Adult World, all the children have vanished. Some of them are missed- some of them aren't; all the adults are watching the World of Children… Captain Marvel brought a little doohickey over that Zatanna made with Secret's help- a little mystical mojo connected the two worlds; it also- accidentally- sucked away all the attention of most adults who could help with the problem. (Oops.)

In the World of Children, the people who could possibly help with the mystical/dimensional problem are ensorcelled (Zatanna), pregnant and currently the head of state (Aqualad), off planet (M'gann, Permafrost, both the Green Lanterns, and Blue Beetle), in the wrong dimension and don't have the power or permission to leave (Raven, Weather Wizard (he really just doesn't have permission- he's had the power, but not the control, for a month now), Secret), can't get off their island because they can't find the stinking invisible plane or open the vault for their weapons (Both Wondergirls), are busy fighting off giant mutated laundry monsters and schizo-tech refrigerators that eat people instead of food (Superboy, Pied Piper, and Alexander Luthor- oddly, young Mister Luthor wants nothing to do with his father; he wants to be a musician, and is actually quite good; he's also turning out to be an oddly heroic young man, in a punk-rock, DIY kind of way), is too freaking young (Red Hood, Speedy (who is being watched by one of the Terror Twins and Tangent- together, she and Red Hood have almost completely destroyed them both), Red Robin), and babysitting (Kid Flash, Peek-a-boo, Trickster, and Tangent. Although, Tangent is also completely obnoxious –like to the point of making most people walk away from her in a cursing huff– and Trickster isn't that good at figuring out things involving Quantum.)

After Kid Flash sent Tangent to Gotham -_thank __**god**_- just as proposed, Logistical Support (apparently, Perdita Vertigo believes in hands on solutions) arrived within four hours- so did Robin; apparently, Artemis had showed up around mid-morning with some of her friends, and was now watching over Gotham. Aqualad and the AAF had Star and the oceans well in hand; Pied Piper, Alex Luthor and Superboy were handling Metropolis, and no one had heard from the Wondergirls (but a letter in a bottle had been retrieved by the AFF- _Can't get off the island due to technical difficulty. Sorry. Red & Blue._)- so, Logistica and Robin came to Central, where they were (had been for the past four hours) trying to get into Dervish. Operative word being "Trying"; Kid Flash finally just called Teekl- who is actually very nice, when you know her better- and asked her "Can you get my friends into Dervish, Teekl? We have a little problem-"

"Getting in the City? Hmm… Let me send Weather Wizard, he can bring the Shuttle over."

"Won't that be too much for him?"

"Not for only three people- he's actually gotten much stronger since he gained his Knighthood. Control might be more of an issue, but, I have faith in him."

* * *

Mark had been training in his spellwork with Kismet, learning to harness the power of a Knight of Dervish, (that title- those powers- cannot be removed from him, not ever, not even in death). His aunt, who is much more powerful than he thought- apparently, in Dervish, she is known as "Vishco Zena, She who is the One and All", which came as a very big shock to him- had been training him. He had just finished his cantrip (a little somthin-somthin' that was good for clearing soot from the walls, nothing major, but it had been going wrong in spectacular ways lately) and was waiting for his aunt's opinion when she… she yelped, and wobbled _-shimmered shrank stretched slid into two places and the older one vanished, but the younger one is still standing, no tell a lie she's passed out on the ground-_ "Aunt Kismet!" Mark has dropped to his knees, grabbed Kismet in his arms- shakes her as hard as he dares. She flops like a dead fish- she's still breathing, but- _Okay, breathe- your powers might be going whack-a-jam-bang kerfluey, but you __**can't**__, your Aunt Kismet needs you, she needs you right now._ The phone rings- Mark almost doesn't answer it, almost doesn't, but as a Knight of the Realm, he has to- he has to- "HE-Hello?"

"Sir Mardon?"

"Yes, this is he."

"One moment… Write this down; then prepare for Contact."

* * *

A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a monarch or other political leader for service to the monarch or country, especially in a military capacity. Historically, in Europe, knighthood has been conferred upon mounted warriors. During the High Middle Ages, knighthood was considered a class of lower nobility, but by the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry. Since the Early Modern period, the title of knight is purely honorific, usually bestowed by a monarch, as in the British honors system, often for non-military service to the country. Mark gained his Knighthood by being himself- he helped consolidate Klarion's personal feeling that he needed to wrest power from his parents, and gave the new King much approval from his people; Mark Mardon and his Aunt Kismet gave Klarion the push he needed to wrest control of Dervish from his parents- and he would have done it… in around eight Central/Keystone days, or four months of Dervish time. Then his parents were assassinated by… well, he could figure that out, or he could pick up the pieces of his Kingdom, which has gone to pot in the hands of his parents- a lavish court is all well and good, but not, in Klarion's opinion, at the cost of the peasantry's lives. _The peasantry is where the country gains and loses its strength- the country grows strong on the bounty and the bust of the people, not the "beauty or wealth or splendor" of the courts- Gods be praised that you both are dead and gone, because you've nearly killed my country. So- yes, I will bury you both with all the pomp and ceremony deserved of your status, both in the country and as my parents- and then I will move on, because I have better things to do than find the killers of two __**monsters**__, and I mean that in the Real sense of the word, such as you, oh parents of mine... You didn't even know her, their, names._

Historically, the ideals of chivalry were popularized in medieval literature, especially the Matter of Britainand Matter of France, the former based on Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae ("History of the Kings of Britain"), written in the 1130s. Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur ("The Death of Arthur"), written in 1485, was important in defining the ideal of chivalry which is essential to the modern concept of the knight as an elite warrior sworn to uphold the values of faith, loyalty, courage, and honor.

Knighthood in the Middle Ages (which Dervish's courts never really grew out of) was closely linked with horsemanship, especially the joust, from its origins in the 12th century until its final flowering as a fashion among the high nobility in the Duchy of Burgundy in the 15th century. This linkage is reflected in the etymology of chivalry, cavalier and related terms. The special prestige given to mounted warriors finds a parallel in the furusiyya in the Muslim world, the Greek hippeus, the Roman eques of classical antiquity, the Atlantean rank of Hippocampus, the Fawcett civil title of Tres-deuce (which is an innocuous title in Fawcett- not so much everywhere else), and the title of Knight of the Realm in Dervish. Being a Knight of the Realm in Dervish means that you can ride a creature of the Elements- or have a creature of the elements do your bidding. (A storm, for example. (In the real world, almost anything that would be a natural phenomenon is person-shaped- but that's where the similarity stops. A sunbeam is not a person; a cloud is not a person; an avalanche is not a person; a tsunami is not a person. These things are not now, have never been, could never be, people.))

* * *

Mark Mardon- Sir Mark Mardon- "The one who is a gift from Mars, the God of War, as a way to replenish the strength of our arms; the one who is the keeper of the Valley with the Still pool within, from which all wæthær flows outwards"- Weather Wizard is a Knight of the Realm; his duties are to replenish the Still Lakes of the far Dervish hills (he's really more of a shepherd, his herd just happens to be moisture density levels and hi/low pressure areas held in atmospheric suspension) the places where all the mystical creatures of the outer city and near country come. So- when he gets a phone call from Uptown telling him to write something down, he does it (it's usually his marching orders, of course he does). This time, it's a coffee shop in shared Keystone/Central- he should know, it's one of the places he goes during the school year to study with his friends. He doesn't have time to ponder about why he's about to be sent to a café in Keystral, as it's locally known (it's the sphere of city that sits right in-between Central and Keystone; Keystral is the material equivalent of Dervish… and is only four blocks square around)- Contact means that either King Klarion le Garçon aux Sorcières or Lord Teekl le Chat are about to make a personal request of him themselves. (Mark doesn't answer to Klarion- Mark answers to Teekl. No, he doesn't particularly want to know why that is- he has enough trouble keeping the Wally/Kid Flash division straight, he doesn't need to know how the powers of Dervish State are divided between the King and his Familiar.)

So. "Ma-ark?"

"My Lord Teekl?"

"You are a Knight of this Realm- so long as His Majesty, my Master, is King of this Realm, you have leave to take a mount from the Royal Stable; so long as you are a Knight of the Realm, you are free to go to the places you need to go."

"…Thank you, my Lord." He's genuinely grateful- he's also a little… freaked out. (Remember the Wind-cat thing he had to deal with just to get to Dervish for the Soiree? Turns out, he's magically allergic to Wind-cats- he's actually magically allergic to most creatures of the Sky. Sadly, the only creatures that can make the journey between the Realms of the Real and the Material are creatures of the Sky. (Yay.)

What is a creature of the Sky? It's everything that lives in, or gains power from, the air, like the Albastor, the murderous succubus/incubus spirit of an unbaptized infant. Or the Ittan Momen, a magical scarf-creature that has an annoying tendency towards strangling it's friends. Or, how about a Slyphid Dragon, better known as the Western dragon, all barrel-shaped chest, spindly wings and flame breath. Ooo! What about the Magnificent Hurakan, a snake-bird-eel-thing, said to be the Father of All Storms? Or the forbidden Perytons of Atlantis, swarms of carnivorous, blue-feathered, eagle winged deer. How about… sweet natured Sprites, from which fireflies are descended from... Basically, everything that flies in the magical world of the Real is a creature of the sky- Pegasus, Thestral, Gryphon, Hippogryph, Roc, Steelwing, Sergei (and his mother and siblings), Firebird, Harpy, Sirens (although that is debated, even among the Sirens themselves), Wolf- anything you've ever heard of that can fly, has flown, will fly again. Anything.

A magical allergy is a lot like a regular allergy, only it tends to do one of two things- a magical allergy will either reduce the power of a mystic, like with Zatanna, who is magically allergic to Mindspells: she's very susceptible to their influence, however her magic will eventually eat away at any Mindspell cast on her; while her magic works at freeing her, all her spells will be very weak until her magic breaks the spell on her. Or- and this is a very important or- it will make a mystic's magic ever so slightly… unstable. The last time Mark came into contact with a Sky creature- a swarm of Ittan Momen's, who, as a species, adore Mark to the point of strangulation- he accidentally shattered every mirror in the local mirror store with an "accidental" sonic boom.) There is only one creature Mark would ever take to either world- and that is the good old fashioned Windcat. It's the one creature he's the least likely to be killed violently by, and destabilizes his magic the least while he's in contact with it. (The worst that has ever happened to him while riding one is getting covered in his own vomit, and that washed off.) Sadly, there are only three sizes of a Windcat- Single Seated, Five Seated, and Thirty Seated. He can ride a Single and a Five- thankfully, he only needs to get two people- he's never met those people, but he has orders from the top of his chain of command, so. He goes.

* * *

One stomach churning moment later, and Weather Wizard is in Keystral, at the Weirnigo Coffee House- standing outside it is Wally Kid Flash, a short blond girl in a green dress, and… Robin. _Wow, this really is serious; that guy doesn't leave Gotham for much._

Robin and Logistica- "Logistica?" _Seriously, you decided to feminize logistics and use it as a superhero name? Seriously?_

"Yes." _What of it, Boy Wonder? You wanna make something of it?_

"…Okay, fine." _No need to get snippy, jeeze._ - walk forward, eyes screwed shut from the dust thrown up from the Windcat's arrival- "All Aboard, one Roundtrip to Dervish!" Kid Flash's eyes narrow-

"…How long have you been wanting to say that, Wiz?"

Mark grunts. "Shut it, KF." The two heroes jump onto the Windcat's back- and they're off to Dervish.

They'll be back by the last day of the third week- Saturday night. (This is when Robin will discover just how simply Jason tends to plan things out- and this is also when he will make the executive decision that Lian Tan and Jason Wayne should probably have very little contact with each other while they grow up, not because they don't get along, but because they do. It's one thing to get along- it's quite another to bind and gag your babysitters and invite a whole bunch of people over to party. Yes, that's right; Jason Wayne and Lian Tan started throwing wild parties when they were three years old.)

* * *

Metropolis:

Milo James "Jimmy" Olsen is having a wonderful day. No, really- he's taken some perfexcellent pictures so far, and his new friend Sandy is actually a pretty chill dude. Jimmy Olsen is a photography superstringer for most of the Metropolis newspapers- the Daily Planet gets first pick- he's also just turned seventeen. (Eighteen next July.) The pictures he's been taking might possibly get him a lot of money- Jimmy needs some new Kammy Chu's. (Kammy Chu is an extremely expensive shoe designer- in another world, Kammy would have been a Jimmy, and Milo James would have been a Mia Janet.)

* * *

In journalism, a stringer is a type of freelance journalist or photographer who contributes reports or photos to a news organization on an ongoing basis but is paid individually for each piece of published or broadcast work.

As freelancers, stringers do not receive a regular salary and the amount and type of work is typically voluntary. However, stringers often have an ongoing relationship with one or more news organizations, to which they provide content on particular topics or locations when the opportunities arise.

The term is typically confined to news industry jargon, and in print or in broadcast terms, stringers are sometimes referred to as correspondents or contributors. At other times, they may not receive any public recognition for the work they have contributed.

A reporter or photographer can "string" for a news organization in a number of different capacities and with varying degrees of regularity, so that the relationship between the organization and the stringer is typically very loose. When it is difficult for a staff reporter or photographer to reach a location quickly for breaking news stories, larger news organizations often rely on local stringers to provide rapid scene descriptions, quotations or photos. In this capacity, stringers are used heavily by most television news organizations and some print publications for video footage, photos, and interviews.

A superstringer is a long-term freelance journalist. He or she is usually a contract worker for one or more news organizations. Traditionally, stringers freelance for a period of time and then become employed full-time by a news organization, but with the collapse of the traditional newspaper advertising model and the emergence of the Internet, many stringers are becoming superstringers.

Jimmy Olsen is a superstringer- he will sell his pictures to everyone from the reputable and well-paying Daily Planet to the disreputable and highly sleazy (but still well paying) Daily Star. He'll also sell out of state, but that's only on special occasions, and he always feels a little… _unsettled_ doing that. (He sometimes wonders if his mother knows he's just a photographer- he has this feeling that some of what he does is very… not quite right from the outside. He'll be head-hunted by the CIA, the FBI, Interpol, Intergang, the Royal Flush Gang, and Perry White when he's eighteen.) He's gotten some pure beauties these past two and a half weeks- Superboy uppercutting a giant dragon-esque laundry-monster? _That's twenty bucks right there- forty to the right buyer-_ Pied Piper using the power of ROCK! on an electric guitar to dismantle a rampaging mini-fridge? _I can probably sell that for- Oooo! The mini-fridge was full of those new Choco Pudding Cups, that's at least fifty- Hah, make that a hundred, he's eating one, product placement for the__**win**__-_ (Understand, Jimmy is pricing in the thousands, not the hundreds. Oh yes- the boy had saved more than enough money to pay his college tuition by sixteen; now he just does it because it's his passion.) Sandy was writing things down- apparently, he moonlights as a reporter; Jimmy actually reads his blog._Never turn down a chance for black-mail; this picture might look nice in the Yearbook anyway…_ Uber-shy Cat Grant- in a burning pink jumpsuit and gigantic hot pink rhinestone-studded glasses, no less- pouring a boiling cauldron of soapy water onto a flying pterydactl-ish monster that seemed to be the spawn of a dirty laundry pile and a blast freezer… _Wait, what?_ (Jimmy has a pretty spectacular crush on Catherine Jane Honoria Grant; Cat doesn't know he exists… but that's because she's not the most… _self-aware_, shall we say. Look, when a hetero-sexual male photography dude you've known since second grade knows more about fashion and dating than you do, you have issues. Cat is… well… painfully shy. Headgear braces, fish-bowl glasses, hair like a rat-infested haystack, fugly cardigan sweater-skirt sets, giant no color sweaters, saddle shoes- none of her wardrobe or makeup flatters her features; she owns nothing that makes her look pretty… She was always pretty people-unfriendly, but after her parents divorced and she moved with her mother to L.A. …

Well. When she came back, she was… shyer, if that's possible. More closed off- more alone inside her skin. L.A. did not do her any favors- although she does keep in touch with a girl from there, someone named Brenda… Anyway, after she came back, she seemed to almost… almost actively go into hiding.

That said, she's a much better home-maker than he is- _and she looks really good in that pink jumpsuit. Wow. The glasses would probably look tacky on anyone else, though._ He reads her blog too- how else would he have learned **_proper_** wig care?)


End file.
